Wish Upon a Droid
by Smenzer
Summary: Luke is 8 years old and wishes he'd know his father. Then his wish is granted by Aphrodite. Vader gets the oppurtunity to know his son and get Padme back. Crossover with Hercules & Xena. Ani is a son of Zeus in this story.
1. Granting Wishes

Title: Wish Upon a Droid

Author: Smenzer

Email: None

Rating: PG

Archive: Yes, please. If you want to put this on a web page please let me know.

Teaser: A young Luke talks to a new droid about his father, a mysterious droid named W1SH

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. They belong to George Lucas and Fox. This is just for fun.

AN: This is a tad different than my other Luke/Vader stories. For one, it stars a YOUNG Luke Skywalker (something I never done before). Second, it is a tad strange and a bit unrealistic I suppose. But then I've watched a few episodes of "Twilight Zone" recently on DVD so I decided to try and write a TZ Star Wars story! This is the crazy result…Oh, I love those weird stories with twist endings. Don't you? This won't be all that twisted though… Be warned: this may contain some fantasy elements. Luke is about 8 years old in this story…

Eight-year-old Luke Skywalker hung his shaggy head as he slowly walked towards the dark opening of the Lars' garage. He idly kicked at a small rock partly embedded in the deep sand. His scuffed boot raised a small cloud of dust and he grimaced, the sand flying onto his light-colored leggings. How he hated the endless sand that surrounded his home on the farm! His blue eyes watched the tiny rock as it noisily bounced over the hot sand until it finally came to a stop a short distance away. His uncle had just recently bought a new droid from the Jawas and he was supposed to go clean it. The trouble was he didn't _want_ to go clean it. "I don't even want to be here…"

"Luke!"

The young boy instantly turned at the angry voice of his uncle. The big man stood a short distance away with hands on hips glaring at him like he always did.

"Luke, how many times do I have to tell you not to dawdle? There's work to do and it won't get done by itself! No go clean that new astromech droid! You're old enough to do that and a lot more!"

"Yes, Uncle Owen." Luke said quickly and turned to go into the darkness of the garage. "I'll go do it right away."

"You better!" Owen huffed as he quickly strode to a speederbike and got onto it. "When I get back from checking the vaporators you'd better be done!"

Sighing again, Luke disappeared into the garage. His eyes soon adjusted to the relative darkness. Nothing was as bright as Tatooine with both suns in the sky; even modern lighting seemed dim in comparison. Out of all the worlds in the galaxy why did he have to be born here? It just didn't seem right…

The new droid his uncle had bought last evening was resting in the corner and young Luke hurried over to it. Like most astromech droids he had seen in his mere eight years of life, it was short and stubby with a round dome. But there the similarities ended. For one thing, it was _pink_. Luke unconsciously bit his bottom lip as he stared at the odd droid. Who in their right mind would build a _pink_ droid? It was so _girlish_! In fact, it was just darn right stupid! But the odd little droid had been cheep so his Uncle had snatched it up right away saying something about color not being important. Besides, droids were sexless. They were not girls or boys, just droids. Still, Luke narrowed his eyes as he continued to stare at the pink droid. "You'll be bantha poodoo in no time…"

"Why do you say that?" the droid asked in a definite female voice.

Luke's blue eyes widened in utter shock and he leaped nearly a foot off the floor. Frightened, he raced behind the solid body of his uncle's airspeeder. Astromech droids were not supposed to talk! They couldn't! They were just supposed to make beeping sounds! With his heart thudding loudly in his ears, Luke peered out from behind the vehicle's fender. The pink droid still sat in the corner but its central red eye seemed to be watching him… "You … you can talk?"

The droid laughed. "Of course I can! You can't speak binary so I was programmed to speak basic. What's so shocking about that?"

"But astromech droids can't speak! They just beep…" Luke stepped cautiously out from behind the airspeeder, one hand on the vehicle's smooth hood. An odd feeling that something wasn't right had settled into the pit of his stomach and he thought of running to Aunt Beru. But what could he actually say, that the droid had scared him? Although she was far kinder than his uncle, Luke doubted if she'd believe him. She'd just shake her head and tell him to go clean it or an angry Uncle Owen would whip him. Still, it was freaky…

"Well, I can speak. Other droids can, can't they?"

Luke nodded. He knew some could although they didn't own any of those. "Why are you pink? I always thought droids were blue or red or gold…"

"Pink is my favorite color. It's totally awesome, don't you think?" The little droid moved forward out of its corner and closer to the skittish boy.

"Totally awesome?" Luke repeated, the little hairs on the back of his neck standing up on end. Droids didn't talk like that, did they? He scrunched his face in confusion as he tried to figure out the mystery. If only he'd have met a talking droid before! But he hadn't. Then an idea surfaced and he relaxed somewhat. It was so obvious! "You're not from this planet, are you?"

"Nope!" The pink droid stopped a few feet away. "I'm W1SH and you're Luke, right?"

Luke's heart skipped a beat. "How … how did you know I'm Luke?"

"You're Uncle told me." W1SH replied.

"Oh." Luke sighed with relief and walked up to the pink droid. "For a while there I thought you could read my mind or something…"

The young boy paused as he continued to gaze at the unusual droid. "I wish I could get out of here. I hate all this endless sand and heat, the scary things that lurk out there in the darkness once the suns go down. My uncle told me they eat little boys…"

"Where would you go?" the droid asked.

"Well, sometimes I have these dreams…" Luke admitted as he nervously peered over his shoulder at the open garage door scared that his uncle would catch him talking nonsense. "My Uncle hates them. He says that I'm just daydreaming and wasting time; that I'd waste my life chasing dreams…"

"But dreams are what makes the world go!" W1SH insisted, her voice oddly full of emotion for a droid.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked, confused.

"Well, everything you see around you started out as someone's dream. Then they turned that dream into reality. Do you understand?"

"No." Luke shook his head, his shaggy blonde hair hanging in his eyes.

"Take that airspeeder for example." W1SH explained as she shifted her red eye to the vehicle. "Once long ago there were no airspeeders and people had to walk everywhere. But someone thought up the idea of how to build one and they did. Over time it became more advanced until it turned into the airspeeder you see before you."

"Oh, you mean inventions and stuff." Luke's face fell and he plopped down onto the slightly cool floor of the garage. "But I meant the kind of dream you see when you're asleep. I see this beautiful place! It's all green grass and fields of flowers and these amazing waterfalls! It just looks so real and when I wake up I feel like crying because I'm still stuck here! Sometimes I feel that I don't even belong here on this miserable hunk of sand. Yet I never saw a place like that and I can't explain why I dream of it; I know I never saw it before. I don't even know if it's real…"

The droid gazed at him silently.

"But what I'd want more than anything is to be with my father. He was this pilot on a freighter but he died…"

"Are you sure?" W1SH asked.

"Well, that's what my Uncle Owen told me. He doesn't like to talk about it at all…" Luke sighed heavily as he stared sadly at the splotched floor of the garage. Slowly his eyes lifted and they focused on the odd pink droid. "You really are the oddest droid I ever met or heard of! Even your name is strange. You can't grant wishes, can you?"

The droid's red eye flickered white for a few seconds and then returned to red. "Why do you say that?"

"Because of your name! W1SH is almost WISH!" Luke exclaimed as he quickly moved onto his knees before the astromech droid. Now that he was really close to the droid he began to notice other odd things he hadn't spotted before. There were strange coils and gizmos on its surface that he'd never seen before. And it didn't even have a restraining bolt! Nor were there any of the usual chips and dents that the scavenged Jawa products sported. "Please tell me you can! I really want to get out of here and be with my father!"

The droid was silent for a long time. "My powers are not what they once were…"

Luke gawked open-mouthed at the droid. "Powers? You mean you really can grant wishes?"

"Well," The droid continued uncertainly. "I _did_ try to get your parents together but others goofed it all up! They insisted on having this dumb war and they didn't care about love at all! Oh, it just makes me _so_ angry! Your parents were just so _cute_ together!"

"You knew my parents?" Luke asked, dumbfounded. A billion questions rolled around in his brain. "Who was my mother? Do you know where they used to live or how they met? Who wanted a war?"

"Whoa!" W1SH cried as several lights on the droid flashed brightly. "I can't really answer all of those questions. I'm not even supposed to be here! And this body … ugh!"

Luke stared at W1SH. "You mean you're not really a droid at all?"

The droid shook its domed head. "Look, Sweetcheeks, I'll use my powers to help you but you have to realize they're not what they used to be, OK? I can transport you off this rock _if_ that's what you really want. But you have to say where you want to go…"

Shocked, Luke fell over backward and landed with a thud on the hard floor. His blue eyes were as wide as the feet on a bantha. "You … you can really _do_ that? How? Do you have a spaceship?"

"I don't _need_ a ship! I just use my powers…" The droid attempted to explain.

"Is … is my father really dead? Do you know?" Luke held his breath as he waited for a reply.

"Oh, he's still alive. He's not what he used to be but he's alive." W1SH informed him. "But are you sure you really want to be with him? I mean you know nothing about him…"

"But he's my father!" Luke insisted as he picked himself up off the floor and crawled to the droid. Reaching out, he gripped its metal body with both hands. "You _have_ to take me to him! We belong together! Besides, anyplace has to be better than here!"

"Things may be far different than what you expect…" The little droid warned. "Oh, I just wish they never started that war!"

"I don't care about a war!" Eight-year-old Luke insisted as he attempted to shake the droid unsuccessfully. "I just want to be with my father!"

"OK, OK!" The droid cried. Then there was a bright flash of bluish-white light and the two vanished with a loud pop.

Moments later Luke fell out of the air and crashed to the floor, a shiny white floor. He shook his head and slowly picked himself up, winching at the sudden pain in his knee. The air smelled funny and he realized he had no idea where he was. And there was a loud scary breathing sound…

Luke lifted his eyes up and up and up…

He leaped backward in fright, a strange sound coming from his throat. Within moments his back was pressed to the nearby wall and he realized he could go no farther. His blue eyes flickered around the almost empty room desperately for the bright pink droid but it was nowhere to be seen. There was just the two of them, him and that man in black…

The man stood there with hands on hips and his face hidden behind a scary-looking mask making those loud breathing sounds. A long cape hung down his back while buttons blinked on his chest. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

"You … you can't be my father! I just wanted my father!" Luke cried in confusion and fear.

To be continued…

AN: I'll finish this story soon. There are just 2 more chapters to go. And a cookie to anyone who can guess correctly who W1SH really is!

Oh and the morale in this chapter is to be careful what you wish for!


	2. Meeting Darth Vader

Wish 2

AN: I decided I should try to finish this story so it won't be hanging around. That way I can update my other, regular stories. Right? Right! So here it is…

Darth Vader stared in utter amazement at the frightened young boy. The Sith Lord had no clue how a child could have gotten aboard a Star Destroyer, as the big ships did not have children on them. Yet here was a child all the same. Plus he knew the door to his personal quarters had been locked with him between the door and where the boy had magically appeared. Yes, magically appeared. That was the only way of how he could think to describe the way the child had popped out of the air itself. Something akin to curiosity gripped the Sith Lord and the man stepped closer to the tousled-haired boy. "Who are you and where did you come from?"

"I … I'm just looking for my father!" Luke sniffled noisily as he peered up fearfully at the scary man. Shiny reflections and highlights danced over the black mask and Luke could swear he saw a weird twisted reflection of himself in its curved surface. This scared him even more and he closed his eyelids tightly, his heart beating rapidly. Why had W1SH brought him here instead of to his father? Had the droid tricked him?

Vader stepped closer and studied the boy in front of him. The style of clothing looked familiar… "What is your name?"

Stubborn, Luke shook his head vigorously. "I'm not going to tell you! My Uncle said I shouldn't talk to strangers and you're a stranger! And I'm beginning to think I shouldn't talk to crazy droids either because they lie!"

"I am Lord Darth Vader and you're on an Imperial Star Destroyer. This is my personal quarters." Vader knelt before the young boy so it would be easier to talk to him. "And I assure you it is OK to talk to me. I will not harm you. You must tell me who you are so I can help return you to your home, although I admit I'm confused as to how you got here. And your Uncle is very wise in telling you not to talk to strangers."

Luke opened one eye and peered at Vader's black mask. "Just because I know your name doesn't mean you're not a stranger!"

Vader sighed loudly. This was going to be difficult…

"Can you tell me where you live?" Vader asked hopefully.

"My Uncle says I'm not supposed to tell strangers that, either!" Luke opened his other eye and stared at the oddly dressed man in front of him. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest and his hands felt cold and clammy. A shiver raced through his body and he wrapped his arms around his body for warmth. Jeez, it was _freezing_ in this place! Luke had never felt so cold in his entire life. Even if it was night and the suns had set it shouldn't be this cold, should it? But then he remembered the man had said something about being on a Star Destroyer, whatever that was…maybe these Star Destroyers were cold? Freezing and facing a scary stranger who made odd sounds was just too much and panic swelled up inside his chest. Tears leaked from his eyes and Luke screamed as loudly as he could. "I want my father!"

"Calm down!" Vader said, putting a bit of Force suggestion into it. He had never dealt with a hysterical child before and had no clue as to what he should do. "Can you tell me your father's name?"

Luke nodded as he somewhat calmed down. "My Uncle told me he's a pilot. His name is Anakin Skywalker. Do you know him?"

Vader froze and his mind went totally blank. Only loud breathing sounds were heard.

The young boy waited for an answer impatiently as the moments passed and the odd man didn't say anything. Boldly Luke stepped closer and attempted to peer through the eyeholes of the black breath mask. "Hey! You didn't fall asleep in there, did you? Hello! I'm waiting for an answer here!"

"You said your father is … Anakin Skywalker?" Vader asked sure that he had heard the boy wrong.

Luke nodded and gazed at him with clear blue eyes, eyes that reminded Vader of his own.

"I'm … Anakin Skywalker. I'm … your father." Vader stared at the young boy in front of him in utter amazement. A son, he had a son! He had been sure that Padme's child had died with her that awful fateful day but here his child was in front of him, flesh and blood. Without thinking, he reached out to the boy with both of his black-gloved robotic hands. He gripped his son gently by his shoulders and just gazed on him. "A miracle, it's a miracle! I had thought you had died with your mother years ago and here you are! I had dreamed of this moment so many times but I had thought it was a hopeless dream!"

"You're my father?" Luke stared wide-eyed at him, shocked. He wasn't too sure if he wanted this odd man for a father. Why, he couldn't even see him properly! "Why do you make those scary sounds?"

"Scary sounds?" Vader's mind went blank. What could the boy possibly mean?

"The loud breathing." Luke explained as he watched the lights blink on the man's chest plate. Was he really his father? "If you're really my father, why do you have two different names?"

"When I became a Sith Lord I was given a new name, Lord Vader. Before that I went by the name of Anakin Skywalker. And I make loud breathing sounds because my lungs were damaged by lava fumes." Seeing Luke's confused expression, Vader attempted to explain his injury again. "I was in a fire and the smoke damaged my lungs. So I must wear this mask so I can breath. Now tell me, Son, what your name is."

"Luke."

"Luke … I'm very happy to meet you, Luke. You have no idea what this means to me." A tear leaked from Vader's eye under the mask and ran down his scarred cheek. "Now tell me how you came to be here. Surely you didn't use the Force to come here, did you?"

"W1SH brought me here, Father." Luke smiled uncertainly at the black breath mask. It wasn't quite so scary anymore but it pained the young boy's heart to know that his father was so sick and had to wear the awful thing just to breath. Who would want to wear a mask all the time and not be able to feel the wind in your hair or the gentle warmth of the freshly risen sun on your face?

"W1SH?"

"She's this totally odd pink astromech droid!" Luke explained as he threw himself forward into his Father's arms heedless of the chest plate with the blinking buttons. Luckily his rash actions caused no harm and the Sith Lord hugged him gratefully. Pulling back slightly, Luke peered upward at his Father's mask. "Hey! Maybe W1SH can heal you! Wouldn't that be great?"

"Let me get this straight: an astromech droid brought you here?" Vader repeated, totally perplexed. For the man who instantly knew what to do in every situation, it was an unsettling feeling. It was if the floor had suddenly dropped out from beneath him and he was left to his own devices. No, it was far worst than that. If the floor vanished he could always use the Force to slow his fall and he would be OK. This … this was like the rules of the universe itself had changed! Droids could not make children appear out of thin air. It was physically impossible! It defied the laws of physics! Yet here Luke was…

Was this young boy really his son? The boy had his coloring that much was true. But it all was so hard to believe. Perhaps if he had met Luke in a more conventional manner it would be easier to accept. Could this child claiming to be his son really be some unheard of alien, a doppelganger that could take any shape it wished and transport itself trough space without needing a ship? Just because the Empire had never met such an alien didn't mean it didn't exist. Yet he wanted to believe Luke was his true son, a product of his love for Padme.

"Yeah, a really _weird_ droid!" Luke exclaimed.

A flash of light assaulted Vader's eyes and the pink astromech droid appeared. "Hey Bro, Sweetcheeks! I'm glad you two are getting along so well! It's so sweet. Don't you just love family reunions?"

Vader rose to his full height and stared at the droid, if that was what it truly was. "Who are you?"

"I'm an astromech droid, what do I look like?" W1SH replied as the red eye studied him. "I'm called W1SH."

Reaching out with the Force towards the droid, Vader was staggered by the amount of power he felt coming from it. Never in his life had he encountered something so powerful. He was used to being the most powerful Jedi that ever lived and to suddenly discover that he was like a raindrop in the ocean… it was humbling. "Do not attempt to fool me. You are no droid. Droids do not have unlimited Force powers that are off the charts."

"All right, you got me there." A soft white glow with pink sparkles surrounded the astromech droid and it slowly changed into a human woman. She had long wavy blonde hair, a curvy female figure with long shapely legs and wore a pink see-through gown with a pink bikini underneath it. The gown had a long slit up one side and pink high-heeled shoes were on her feet. She smiled happily and then squealed joyfully. She threw her arms out wide. "So this is the real me. What do you think?"

Luke's blue eyes practically popped out of their sockets as he gawked open-mouthed at her. "You … you're the droid?"

The blond women squealed again. "Yep! Oh it's so _good_ to be back in my own body!"

"But … but … you're practically _naked_!" Luke cried. "Aren't you _cold_?"

"Honey, I can't feel the cold! I'm immortal! But it's very sweet of you to be so concerned for me. That's why I like you _so_ much!" she explained as she leaned forward to smile at him sweetly. "See, you wanted your dad and here he is."

Darth Vader was having a very hard time accepting any of this sudden news. His brain clicked as he tried to process the fact that a droid had just changed into a nearly naked blonde woman … one that claimed to be immortal no less … and that could teleport children through space! For long moments he just gazed at her, his mind a total blank. He had no idea what he should do. Should he raise the alarm? Should he attack her with his lightsaber and would his weapon even have any affect on her? Was she an enemy or ally or neither?

And immortal beings didn't really exist, did they?

Her big blue eyes shifted to him and her face fell. "Ah, you're having a hard time accepting all this, huh? I know just how you feel. I went through something similar a few thousand millennia ago if that helps … hmmm … I suppose it won't help."

"W1SH?" Luke said as he gazed up at her, still slightly frazzled by seeing so much bare skin. It was unheard of on Tatooine and to bare so much of one's body would be a death sentence. It would be a race as to what would kill you first: the skin scraping sand or the burning suns overhead. Both were lethal. "Are you still W1SH or do you have another name now, too? My Daddy has two names…"

"I'm Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. But you can call me Aunt Dite if you want." Aphrodite smiled down at Luke. Waving her hand in the air, a warm wool blanket materialized and she wrapped it snuggly around the boy's shoulders. The blanket was pink, of course. "There! Aunt Dite will make it all better!"

Pleased, Aphrodite leaned back and studied her handiwork.

"You're a goddess?" Vader stated dumbly, his mind still attempting to accept the information as fact.

"Well, yeah!" Aphrodite said as she rolled her eyes. "I have the full powers, don't I? I mean its not like you can teleport or anything!"

"What do you want?" Vader asked. He reached out and pulled Luke close to his body so the boy was pressed against his leg. For the moment he had decided to treat the woman as he would any other person of power or authority. Logic said she must want something and he was going to discover what it was.

"I want you to be _happy_!" Aphrodite explained as she looked at him sadly, her blue eyes covered by a film of water. A hanky appeared out of the air and she used it to dab at her eyes. "It's all so _sad_! You were so sweet together and then some dumb old war had to ruin all my hard work!"

Under the mask, Vader's mouth hung open. "You want me to be … happy?"

"Oh, that stupid Ar! Didn't he have enough wars?" Aphrodite frowned and her eyes flashed. She stomped a delicate foot on the floor. "I don't care what they say! I'm getting my cute perfect couple back together!"

"What?" Vader asked, totally confused. Surely she didn't mean Padme? His mind felt like it had taken an unscheduled vacation down the swirling maw of a black hole and had left him behind. These things just didn't happen!

Aphrodite looked him from his helmeted head to his boots and back up again, frowning. "Well, we'll have to do something about you…"

"What do you mean do something about me?" Vader demanded to know, a slight touch of panic edging into his emotions. "Haven't you subjected me to enough weird stuff for one day? Since when did the universe do these things? Goddesses just don't pop out of the air and start talking to a person!"

"Relax!" Aphrodite bit her bottom lip in concentration. "I'm sure you'll get used to it after some time…"

"Used to it?" Vader cried, horrified that she might decide to stick around for who knows how long. Then a worse thought occurred to him: what if there were others like her? How would he explain their presence to the commander of the ship or to his Master? What if a whole flock of them started popping out of the air, all blabbing their own crazy ideas? The galaxy had been nice and orderly until a short time ago. "Look, there are billions of people in the galaxy! Why pick me?"

"Because you're my bro!"

"Bro?" Vader asked fearfully, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah! I'm you're long-lost half-sister!" Aphrodite explained as she bit a pink painted fingernail. "Now we need to heal you somehow…"

"SISTER!" Vader shrieked. The room swirled around him and he tottered unsteadily on his feet. Letting go of Luke, he forgot that he was standing in the center of the room and started to sit down. Like magic, a big fluffy pink armchair appeared from nowhere and caught him so he wouldn't fall to the floor. His arms rested on the plump pink armrests, armrests that had pale pink lacey doilies on them. He stared at them for a moment and then moaned. "My head hurts…"

"Well, you're lucky I'm here to take care of you!" Aphrodite beamed at him.

Vader moaned louder. Life was unfair…

The entire galaxy had gone insane!

"So you had no idea that Zeus was your father, huh?" Aphrodite asked as she made a scroll appear out of the air and studied it for a moment. "He's been doing that thing with mortal women for countless millennia. Trust me on that. He has all sorts of tricks up his sleeves, everything from changing himself to a goat to a shower of raindrops. Most of the women don't even realize it. Now if we can figure out how to heal you. I'm afraid healing is not my thing…"

Zeus … who the heck was Zeus? Vader realized he had never heard that name before. And he had never heard of this Aphrodite before either. If only it could have stayed that way…

But then he had his son!

Surely that outweighed any shock he was receiving, didn't it? His eyes flickered to Luke to discover the boy was watching him. He held out his arms and Luke inched closer.

"Are you OK?" Luke asked with a worried look on his young face.

"Yes. I'm just very surprised. It's not everyday that a goddess comes to visit you. And like you, I never knew my father either. I just learned his name for the first time so I was quite shocked."

"Oh! I was quite surprised, too, when I first saw you." Luke admitted as he stared up at his father's black breath mask. "I never dreamed you like this. You're so tall and at first the mask scared me. I never knew adults wear masks, but then I've never really been anywhere, just the moisture farm…"

A wave of shock rolled through Vader and he suddenly remembered the Lars' moisture farm, his mother's grave… "You were living with Cliegg, Owen and Beru Lars?"

"Owen and Beru are my Aunt and Uncle, but I don't know a Cliegg…." Luke shrugged his shoulders at the unfamiliar name. "I really don't like living there. Uncle Owen is always after me to fix things or clean things and he won't let me go anywhere because he says it's unsafe but won't really say why. And there's scary _things_ living out in the desert. Uncle says they eat little boys that don't do their chores. And he gets grumpy if I daydream or talk about this pretty place I see in my dreams at night. It's all green grass and wildflowers and thundering waterfalls…"

"Naboo…" Vader whispered as the image sprang to his mind.

"Does such a place really exist?" Luke asked. He was sure that it didn't for how could a dream place be real?

"It's on your mother's homeworld, the lake country. We were happy there…" Vader fell silent as long-lost feelings assaulted him. How he had loved Padme! She had been the most important thing in his life and he had been willing to do anything at all to save her, even go to the Dark Side. But the very actions he had taken to save her had resulted in her death! And that knowledge had destroyed him in the end. He had been trapped on the Dark Side with Palpatine, the Order destroyed with no one else to turn to…

A tight fist gripped his heart and squeezed painfully as an idea occurred to him. What if Luke asked how his Mother died? What was he to tell the boy? He didn't want to lie but he couldn't tell the truth either, could he? He couldn't say that Padme's death had been his fault! Luke would hate him hate him! Reaching out, he gripped his son around the waist and gently pulled him up onto his lap. Luke settled onto one of his mechanical legs and Vader realized another thing. It was likely Luke had no idea of the extent of his injuries and just presumed that clothing covered his limbs. How could he explain that he was more droid than a real man? The boy didn't even know what lava was…

And what did he know about raising a child? He had always wanted a family, sure. But he had expected Padme to help him and she wasn't here. How much was it safe to tell the boy? Why, he didn't even know how old Luke was! The last thing he wanted was to give the boy nightmares about his horrible past and the evil things people could do. The Sith Lord lifted his face to Aphrodite. The goddess was still studying some long scroll that had unraveled and the far end tumbled in a heap at her feet, her tongue poking slightly out of her mouth. For the first time he was beginning to appreciate her being here. She was the first ray of hope he had seen in a long time of darkness. Could it be this deity could actually straighten out his mixed-up life? Was it possible for his injures to actually be healed? It would take a miracle but then a goddess could make miracles, couldn't she?

"Can we go there someday? I never saw grass or open water before, only sand." Luke asked hopefully as he slowly reached a hand out and cautiously touched his father's black breath mask. The metal felt cool and smooth under his hand. His blue eyes drifted lower to the blinking buttons on Vader's chest. "What are these for?"

"They keep me healthy." Vader explained the best he could. He tried to remember what he had been like at Luke's age but all of his early years on Tatooine seemed to roll into one. Besides, he had been a slave and he really had no idea what growing up on a moisture farm would be like. And how had Luke gotten there? It was a mystery. "I told you I had been in a fire, remember?"

Luke nodded.

"Well, the fire hurt me badly. My heart and lungs were damaged. These buttons watch to make sure my heart and lungs are working the way they should. You should never touch these buttons, Luke."

"I won't." Luke promised. "But maybe Aunt Dite can cure you and then you don't need those buttons! Then we can go visit the waterfalls!"

Vader was silent. He wanted to believe that Aphrodite could really cure him but it still seemed impossible. He didn't want to give the boy false hopes…

"Well, I think I found something here!" Aphrodite said with a grin. "Like I said, healing is not my gift. My real power is Love and everything related to making people fall in love with each other. But I think this just might work!"

"What will work?" Luke asked as he turned his head to look at the goddess.

Aphrodite waved her hand and a golden chalice appeared. She held it carefully with both hands. "All you have to do is drink some of this and it should heal your injuries. Your body will be like that accident had never happened. It's foolproof, trust me!"

Vader's eyes focused on the golden chalice, uncertain. "But … but what about my artificial limbs and other mechanical parts?"

"They'll vanish and be replaced by your real parts!" Aphrodite smiled, encouraging him to take the cup. "You'll be whole again! No more mask or gasping for breath!"

Setting Luke gently on the ground, Vader rose from the chair and stared at the golden cup. Could he really trust her or the cup's contents? Did a cure really exist in the golden container or was it something else? True, he had no reason to mistrust her but it still seemed so unreal. So little actual time had passed since the boy had popped into his quarters. Vader glanced at the chronometer on his wrist and realized it wasn't even a half hour! No wonder the whole thing seemed like some bizarre dream more than like real life. Still, who was he to pass up the chance to be rid of this mask? He had lost count of the times he had attempted to heal himself with the Force and had been able to breath clearly for a few seconds, then the pain had come crashing back and he found himself struggling for air once again. "I … I will need to remove this mask to drink it."

Aphrodite nodded her understanding.

"Luke," Vader knelt down before his young son. "In order to drink the medicine, I will need to remove this mask. I must tell you I'm not pretty and you may want to face the other way. I have many ugly scars from the fire I was in. Do you understand? Then once the medicine has worked you can see me."

Luke nodded, his feelings muddled. He knew a fire could do bad things to meat and people were meat, weren't they? Surely that's why those things out in the desert ate little boys? He was a bit glad that his father didn't want him to see; he wasn't too sure he wanted to see, either. But that made him feel bad. Surely it was wrong not to want to look at one's father? But maybe the medicine would be fast and then he could look. It had taken no time at all to get here from his Uncle's garage…

Vader waited until Luke had turned his back and childishly covered his eyes with his hands. Reaching up, he took off the helmet and unsealed the mask, air hissing out. Removing it completely, he set it down and reached for the golden chalice. A golden liquid sloshed within and he stared at it for a moment, uncertain. Then his lungs began to ache so he raised the cup to his lips. His lips parted and the cool liquid flowed across his tongue and down his throat. It was impossible to describe the taste except it was the best thing he had tasted, ever. Power seemed to flow into his body and warmth settled in his stomach, quickly spreading through his limbs. He blinked and suddenly saw flesh and blood hands holding the chalice, not black gloves!

His blue eyes opened wide in amazement and unconsciously he raised a hand to his face to feel smooth skin.

Dashing to his nearby closet, he flung open the door to look at himself in the full-length mirror. His mouth dropped open in utter shock at what he saw. The golden chalice trembled in his hand and Aphrodite gently freed it from his fingers without him really noticing she had done it. He was as he once was: his thick brown hair hung on his shoulders and his skin was unblemished. Why, he even wore his Jedi robes! Numb fingers pried open the several layers of clothing frantically only to find smooth skin! Even the arm he had lost to Count Dooku had been replaced! "I'm … I'm cured!"

"Well of course you are!" Aphrodite smiled and she squealed in excitement as she hugged herself.

"Father?" Luke turned and saw Anakin Skywalker for the first time. The man had the same blue eyes he did, the same shaggy hair and he was more like what he had thought his father would be, not a strange man in a mask!

Anakin laughed and ran towards Luke. Scooping the boy up he spun him around in the air and then held him in his arms.

It was a miracle, a real live miracle!

"We can go see Naboo and the Lake Country if you want to. We can go anywhere you want…" Anakin promised to Luke as he thought of the pile of credits that sat in his account, untouched. He would eventually have to deal with Palpatine but he didn't want to think about that now. He was too happy.

"Now hold on there! I'm not done yet!" Aphrodite said as a grin spread across her pretty face. "There's something missing from this happy picture and I intend to fix it! And I assure you this _is_ my specialty!"

To be continued…

AN: Well, there's the end of Chapter 2, only 1 more chapter to go now. Xedra wins a cookie for correctly guessing it was Aphrodite from "Hercules" and "Xena" (two of my other favorite fandoms). Anyone else who guessed it was Aphrodite gets a cookie, too! And I hope no one is angry that I made Zeus Anakin's father in this story. It is AU after all. Oh, I'm not all that clear on Vader's rank in this time period but I presume there must be others higher than he is, as Moff Tarkin seemed to outrank him in Ep 4. I'm also presuming he has no idea of the Greek Pantheon.

Disclaimer: Aphrodite is not mine. She belongs to Renaissance Pictures, Studious USA and whoever owns the rights to Hercules the Legendary Journeys and Xena Warrior Princess.


	3. The Underworld

Wish 3

AN: Well here is the last chapter. I guess it won't really have any big surprises but hey, who knows? Someone asked that since Ani is the son of Zeus shouldn't he have the godly strength like Hercules: the answer is NO. Hercules inherited the strength while Ani got the powers (the Force). Not all children of Zeus inherit anything; some are just regular mortals. A very few get the strength (like Herc and his other half-brother Pollux – or was it Castor? I forget which. They're twins from a YH episode). A very, very rarely do they inherit the magic powers (Ares' son Evander had inherited some powers in a Xena episode). Also in the SW universe they are so high-tech that Gods are just a myth and long forgotten. Scientists love to create logical reasons for everything so they came up with medi-clorians. Perhaps one could say that the Olympians are pure medi-clorians and why not? Who knows what a supreme being is made of? I'm trying to mesh the two fandoms in a logical way that hopefully stays true to both.

"Now hold on there! I'm not done yet!" Aphrodite said as a grin spread across her pretty face. "There's something missing from this happy picture and I intend to fix it! And I assure you this _is_ my specialty!"

"Missing?" Anakin asked slightly puzzled. His quick mind worked on the puzzle. She had said it was her specialty and since she was the Goddess of Love… Realization crossed his face and he gripped Luke tighter. "Now wait a minute, you can't possibly mean what I think you mean, can you? I know you're a goddess but surely even you can't bring people back from the dead!"

"Well, I admit we rarely do it." Aphrodite informed him with a serious expression on her face. She leaned forward and winked a blue eye. "But sometimes we do, you know? We just can't do it very often or word will get around the mortal realm and well, we can't have that. No way! But I think in your case we can manage it quite easily."

Anakin blinked his eyes rapidly as he stared at her. "You can bring Padme back from the dead."

"Sure!" Aphrodite squealed again gleefully. "It's _so_ exciting! I just _knew_ you two were perfect for each other from the start!"

"You made me fall in love with Padme?" Anakin asked as he tried to understand what she was saying. "This whole goddess thing is just confusing and I admit I don't fully understand it. I didn't even know they existed. Are there more of you?"

Aphrodite laughed. "Of course there are! And making people fall in love is my job! It's what I do! Without a sitting Goddess of Love the universe would be a terrible place, as love wouldn't exist. I suppose lust would still exist and a desire to procreate but there would be no love. Can you imagine such an awful world?"

"The Jedi Order comes to mind…" Anakin remarked sourly. The Order certainly had outlawed love and attachment. And what was love but attachment? Growing up in a crèche they couldn't see that love was required in a person's life or that there was different types of love. A person could love their mate, their parents and children, their pets and friends. Without it the world was a cold careless environment and after spending years on the Dark Side, Anakin had seen enough of it. He refocused his blue eyes on Luke and smiled. He may still be a warrior but there was no reason why he couldn't love his son as well. And he would love Luke with all his heart. "So, how do we do this? I mean, where do people go when they die?"

"Well, since Padme was a hero she went to the Elysian Fields." Aphrodite explained as she stepped closer to Anakin. "So now all we have to do is go down to the Underworld and collect her spirit from Uncle Hades."

"Uncle Hades?" Anakin was beginning to wonder how big a family he had and if they all were like the blonde woman. And this idea of going to the Underworld made him nervous. Maybe she went down there all the time but he certainly never had and now he had a young boy to care for. He wanted Padme back with all his heart and soul. Just the idea of seeing her again was like water to a man dying of thirst. But his responsibilities as a father had to come first. "I really would like to go but I can't leave Luke here by himself and I'm not sure if taking him to the Underworld is safe…"

"Of course it's safe!" Aphrodite reassured with a light voice. "It's not anything great really, just a bunch of old tunnels through rock and well, Hades is a tad gruff sometimes but he's not like that bad, you know? The really bad stuff is down in Tartarus but we won't be going _there_. It's where the really evil people end up…"

A shiver went through Anakin as he thought of his years on the Dark Side. Would he have ended up there if Luke had come along? He was sure his Master would go there someday as Palpatine had done truly horrible things during his long life. Reassuring himself that he had narrowly avoided that fate, he refocused his attention on his new half sister. "All right, if you're sure it's safe."

Aphrodite reached out and gripped one of his hands. There was a flash of bluish-white light and the three of them had vanished. Moments later they appeared in a dark tunnel lit by flickering torches. The walls around them were carved from solid rock and Anakin could practically feel the weight of the countless tons of rock above pressing down. That was an illusion, of course, for the Underworld wasn't really deep inside a planet at all but just appeared that way. Like the fabled Mount Olympus, it existed on a different plane and was separate from the Prime Material Plane were mortals spent out their busy little lives. Except for the hiss and crackle of the burning torches, the tunnel was silent.

Eyes open wide, Luke clung fearfully to his father's shoulders and stared down the dark tunnel in front of them. The place was creepy and he decided instantly that he didn't like it at all. It was all to easy for his young mind to imagine one of the nasty boy-eating monsters living here, the ones that Uncle Owen had told him about. They wrapped themselves in rags and carried big sticks… Tears appeared in his eyes and he wiped at them with one hand, the other still clinging to Anakin's leather tunic.

"What's the matter?" Anakin asked his son as he sensed the boy's fear through the Force. "Does this place scare you?"

"The monsters are going to eat us!" Luke cried loudly as he hid his face in Anakin's clothing.

"There are no monsters down here." Anakin reassured his young son. "But if there were, I'd chop them up with my lightsaber. Do you know what a lightsaber is? It's a big sword!"

"You … you have a sword?" Luke pulled his face away from his father's warm body and he stared up at him with wet eyes. "Really? A big sword?"

Anakin nodded.

"And you'd chop the monsters up? Even the scary ones that live out in the desert?"

By now Anakin had a good idea of exactly what these so-called desert monsters were: Tuscan Raiders. He appreciated Owen's story in a way as that it kept Luke from wondering off into the desert yet at the same time he hadn't done the boy any favors by saying the Tuscans ate people. But there were other, even more dangerous things out there that _would_ happily eat a small boy or even an adult. "I chopped up a whole group of those monsters once…"

Luke's eyes widened as he tried to imagine such a thing and failed completely. "Weren't you scared?"

"No. Fear leads to the Dark Side and you mustn't let your fear control you." Anakin replied. He smiled gently at his son. Walking slowly, he moved closer to the nearest wall and allowed Luke to touch its rough surface. "There's nothing to fear here. See, its just rock. You're not scared of rocks, are you?"

"Of course not!" Luke exclaimed as he struggled to get down, most of his fear gone. His father put him down and Luke tightly gripped the older man's hand for safety. Even if he wasn't scared of rocks, it still was a creepy weird place and in all of his years he'd never been anywhere like this and he didn't want to get lost. They followed Aphrodite and soon she led them into a large cavern.

Luke's eyes immediately focused on the man that sat behind a big desk. He had short brown hair and wore a big golden crown on his head. The man didn't glance up when they entered but kept writing on some paper. The odd thing was that he seemed to be writing with a feather from a bird! Luke's forehead scrunched up in confusion as he couldn't understand why the odd man would write with a feather and not a computer as any sensible person would. But there seemed to be none of the regular things here. There were no electrical lights on the ceiling; just the weird torches that flickered annoyingly and made the air smell funny. There were no power outlets for droids to plug in, no circuits anywhere; no metal doors that swooshed open at your approach. The place was really _weird_! A big red ring sparkled on one of the man's fingers and he was dressed in brown. Behind the man there were two curved doorways. One had a reddish tint to it but was otherwise dark; a white-gold fog surrounded the other. And for some reason Luke didn't fully understand, the reddish-black doorway scared him.

Aphrodite stepped up to the huge desk. "Uncle Hades."

Hades lifted his head and glanced up at Aphrodite. He rose from his seat and they could see that his brown robe was decorated with red and gold designs. "Aphrodite, why have you brought these mortals to my realm? It is not yet their time…"

"I want a soul freed from the Elysian Fields, Uncle. Padme Amidala." Aphrodite told him as she pointed towards Anakin and Luke. "They belong together, not apart."

"Aphrodite, you know I can't go freeing souls." The God of the Underworld frowned. "Think of all the paperwork I'd have to fill out. It would be a nightmare. I'm behind schedule the way it is, you know that. All these people dying and piling up down here needing to be judged and appropriately sorted and even worst there's some bizarre discrepancy where this same mortal by the name of Jango Fett keeps showing up over and over! It's driving me mad!"

"They're clones…" Anakin explained as he boldly stepped up to Hades' desk. He wasn't too sure what he had expected the man in charge of the Underworld to be like but this wasn't it. How could he be complaining about filling out forms when Padme was so important to him? He held his head high and stared Hades in the eyes. "Look, I'd really love to see my wife. It would mean so much to me if only I could speak to her for a short time. I know you're busy; I understand that. I can't even believe I'm here really. I mean, I didn't even know this place existed or that gods were real until a short time ago but if you've ever been in love than you should understand. She's more important to me than my own life and I'd do _anything_ to have her back again."

The Chosen One's eyes darkened as he impatiently waited for a reply. He had meant what he had said, too. He _would_ do anything now that he was this close to Padme. She was down here somewhere and if Hades wouldn't show him where he'd find her on his own. His eyes shifted to the two doorways behind his godly Uncle; sure one of them would lead to his dear wife. There was no reason to think he couldn't find her on his own. Sure, they were gods but Hades reminded him more of a bored politician from the Senate than an all-powerful being. The thought that he wouldn't be able to leave the Underworld without Hades permission or that his powers wouldn't function properly down here wasn't known to him, for it was common courtesy that all visiting Gods surrender their powers to Hades while in the Underworld. His mind was focused solely on Padme and she was all he cared about at the moment.

Hades dark eyes narrowed as he focused an intense gaze on Anakin. "You're a Demigod. I should have known, another one of my brother's mortal offspring. "

"Relax!" Aphrodite grinned and held her hand in the air. A rolled up scroll materialized and she handed it to Hades. "I have the release papers right here!"

Hades accepted the scroll and unrolled it, studying it for a moment. He recognized Zeus' signature at the bottom and placed it on his desk. "Well Nephew, it seems I have no choice but to release your wife to you as your father has apparently taken a liking to you. But you must understand a few things first…"

The tension faded from Anakin's body and he sighed in relief.

"Even though Zeus has given your wife permission to return to the land of the living you must understand she may not wish to leave. It will be up to you to convince her." Hades strode over to the doorway covered in the golden white fog and pointed at it with his hand. "This is the gateway to the Elysian Fields. It is a virtual paradise for dead heroes and it has many sections. One such section has been the home to your wife these last few years. If you wish to have her back, you must enter and find her. If you can convince her to pass through this gateway with you than I will return her to the mortal world. If not, she will stay in the land of the dead. But be warned. You will have one hour and not a second more. If you fail and linger longer than an hour in the Elysian Fields you will join her in death. Do you understand?"

Anakin gulped down the slight nervousness that had begun to bubble within him. Getting Padme back wasn't going to be as easy as he had first thought. When Aphrodite had produced the release form he had thought the victory won but he had been wrong. Worst, he knew nothing of the Elysian Fields. How long would it take him to find Padme? If he lingered over an hour his own life would be forfeit and he would lose the son he had just found! His gaze flickered to Luke and he saw the boy looked worried. Emotion began to build up within him and he sighed loudly. He wanted Padme back so much but he had responsibilities to Luke now. What would happen to the boy if he _did_ die in there? Was it wrong to want his wife back? Was he being too greedy? Surely Luke's needs should come before his own?

And he hadn't seen Padme for so long. He vaguely remembered the argument they had had. Was she still angry at him? Was he chasing a pipe dream or was there a real possibility that she still loved him and would willingly come back with him to the regular world? The problem was he didn't have the slightest clue and he may waste precious time arguing with her over past deeds. Would it really be worth the risk he would be taking, not only risk for him but for Luke as well? His heart said yes but his mind was still uncertain.

Sighing again, Anakin knelt down in front of Luke and pointed at the whitish-gold fog covered doorway. "Do you see that door? Your mother is in there and I'd like to go get her. But I'd only have an hour. If I'm gone longer than that I won't be able to come back. So I'm not certain what I should do now. Do you think I should go in and try to get your mother?"

Luke stared at the foggy doorway for a moment. It didn't look too bad, not like that other one. But the fog was thick and he couldn't see what was on the other side. "What's in there?"

"I don't know." Anakin admitted. He knew Hades had described it as paradise but was unsure exactly what that meant as it could mean different things to different people. "I only know your mother is in there."

The young boy glanced uncertainly from the foggy doorway to his father. Luke had always dreamed of having a father but not a mother, maybe because Aunt Beru had treated him kindly. But maybe it would be nice to have a real mother. He really didn't know anything about her at all as his Uncle had talked even less about her than he did about Anakin. Still, he could see by the expression on his father's face that it was important to him. Maybe than they could be a real family like other families and he wouldn't be such an outcast when they went to town, not that they had done that very often. But maybe things would be different now, as he didn't have to live with Uncle Owen. Maybe the other kids would treat him better if he had two parents like everyone else. It had always bothered him when he saw other kids his age having fun with their parents or when a classmate had asked him about his father. He had never known what to say really so he had just answered that his father was dead. But the simple answer had never seemed to satisfy some and they had asked even more questions, dumb things like what his father's hair color had been. Luke had shrugged, as he didn't know. Then the question had been repeated for his mother's hair color and he had shrugged again. He had never even see a photograph of either parent so really didn't know and he didn't know what the big deal was. Hair was just hair, wasn't it? Yet all the dumb questions had made him think about it, sometimes for hours, as he lay awake in his tiny bedroom gazing up at the ceiling. His blue eyes fastened on his father's shaggy, wavy hair. It was almost the same color his was, just a few shades darker. But he knew the bright suns bleached color from stuff and maybe they had stolen color from his hair as well. But what about his mother's hair color? If his father went in there to bring his mother out he'd finally know! Then he wouldn't have to shrug stupidly and see the nasty looks on other kid's faces for his parents would be right there with him…

"I think I'd like to have a mother…" Luke finally replied after he had thought about it.

"Are you sure?" Anakin asked, the doubt still strong within him. He pulled Luke to him and hugged the boy tightly. "I don't want to loose you now that I found you…"

"I'm sure you'll find mother with plenty of time to spare." Luke said confidently. "If you can beat up those monsters than you can do anything!"

Anakin pulled back slightly and saw certainty in his son's eyes. How could the child be so sure and positive while he himself was filled with self-doubt? He realized it was his own fears and his lack of control over them that had ruined his life and had cost Padme's hers. And he still had to face her…

Maybe it was a good thing Luke didn't have his fears and negative thinking. Yes, it was a very good thing.

Leaning forward, he kissed his son lightly on the forehead and then stood up. "I'll be back with your mother…"

Releasing a big puff of breath, he walked bravely up to the wall of whitish-gold fog. He watched, as Hades waved his hand and the fog changed, thinned until it was more like a faint mist. Just on the other side he could see a field of green grass that reminded him of a well cared for park. His stomach flipped uncertainly within him as he realized what he was about to do. Then without a final thought he leaped through the thin barrier and landed easily on the other side, a faint coolness brushing his body as he passed through the white mist.

A green park spread out before him and Anakin glanced around in amazement. People in long white robes strolled across the grass or rested upon white stone benches. A bubbling fountain sprayed water high up into the air and green evergreens spotted the landscape farther away. It all looked like a scene from some old-fashioned painting come to life. A few people were in tiny groups but most seemed to be alone. Remembering that the clock was ticking, Anakin started to run madly as he frantically scanned the people around him for Padme. He ignored the shocked expressions he received as he leaped over benches and ran around like a madman screaming his wife's name. The others around him had eternity to look forward to and had no pressing needs but to relax and enjoy the park-like setting.

Anakin was sure that if he'd have to stay in this place he'd go stark raving mad.

He had run a good distance and his body was now covered in a thin layer of sweat, his heart beating quickly within his chest. But his years as a Jedi served him in good stead and he had moved very fast covering a wide area in little time. Still, it was becoming clear that the Elysian Fields was huge and might go on for mile upon mile if not parsec upon parsec. The grass slowly changed the farther he ran. No longer was it neatly mowed but grew up long and wild, colorful wildflowers growing between the wide blades of grass. The elaborate stone benches disappeared and Anakin soon found he was on his own, the too-calm people left far behind. A loud roaring filled his ears and he realized instantly what it was: the thunderous sound of water pouring over falls. A steep hill loomed before him and his speed increased as he charged up it wildly hoping that beyond hope that Padme would be on the other side. Reaching the summit, he skidded to a sudden halt.

"It … it can't be!" Anakin's jaw dropped open at the sight before him.

It looked just like the Lake Country on Naboo!

There were the dozens of waterfalls, the field of wildflowers and grass, and the free roaming shaaks with their plump thick-skinned bodies and no, it couldn't be? Off in the far distance he could even see Varykino, Padme's home in the Lake Country! A distant figure entered his view; someone strolling up from the waterfalls. His breath hitched in his throat as he spied the long free-flowing rainbow gown as thin and delicate as spider's silk. The pale material fluttered in the wind, as did the person's long dark hair. Emotion swelled up in his chest until he thought he wouldn't be able to breath and feared he'd pass out; his emotions were that strong and out of control.

"PADME!" Anakin dashed through the grass wildly towards her as his emotions continued to swell, as she grew nearer and nearer. At his shout, he saw her pale face turn towards him and then she, too, was racing heedlessly through the grass. The shaaks continued to graze, unaffected by the humans' crazy behavior. One moved into Anakin's path and he boldly leaped over it, a booted foot touching it's wide back for just a moment. The terrified animal bellowed its complaint and galloped off to a different location, one eye rolling in his direction. Then she was right before him and he joyfully wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. He buried his face in her thick fragrant hair and breathed in her sweet scent. A thick lump formed in his throat and he blinked tears out of his eyes. Swallowing several times, he attempted to speak. "Oh Padme, I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Anakin!" Padme breathed against his shoulder as her arms clung to him tightly. She stayed that way for a few moments and then pulled back to look at him. "But how can you be here? You … you're not …"

"I'm not dead, no." Anakin quickly reassured her as he gripped her wrist tightly. "This may sound crazy but I've come to take you back to the real world! But I've only have an hour so we should hurry. You have no idea how much I've missed you…"

"Ani!" Padme dug her heels into the soft earth and refused to move. She just stared at him, a shocked look on her face. "People just don't come back from the dead! I don't know what you're up to this time but I'm afraid I remember last time all too well! You just can't wave your hand and make that all go away. I couldn't live knowing the awful things that you've done, things you claim that you did for me. Maybe you think I've forgotten but I haven't. I've just been pretending these past few years, pretending that you've been away on a mission with Obi-Wan and that any day you'd walk through the door and then we'll be together again. That's how it works here, you see. Some of us get our own private paradise where others don't intrude and we can live our fantasy. Some of the people here don't even know they're dead. Do you have any idea what you've put me through?"

"Padme, please! I'm sorry!" Anakin pleaded to his wife, tears in his eyes. "I … I didn't know what I was doing! I was being torn in all these different directions and I couldn't stand it! I was so scared I'd loose you…"

"And you did! You broke my heart." Padme's voice hitched and she spun around so she faced the other direction, her long wavy hair flying outward before settling on her back. She hung her head sadly and stared down at the soft purple petals among the grass. "I … I want to trust you, Ani. Really I do! But how can I after what you've done?"

"I've changed!" Anakin promised and he quickly dashed around so he stood in front of her once more. He allowed himself to collapse to his knees at her feet. "I was lost for years, I admit that. I was trapped on the Dark Side with no way out. Those were the darkest years of my life. I was filled with despair. I didn't want to live after I had learned that I killed you but Palpatine wouldn't let me die… The lava and poisonous fumes had destroyed most of my body and I was more droid than man. I couldn't breath on my own. I truly had become a horrible monster, the very thing I used to fight against. Palpatine's voice kept whispering in my mind telling me to do things… I … I thought I was doing the right thing at the time, but now I know it was wrong! Please, Padme, give me a second chance? I risked my life to come here and get you. Hades said I only have an hour and if I'm here one second over that I'll be just as dead as you are. But now we can have that life we've always dreamed of if you'd just come with me!"

She wiped at her wet face as she gazed down at him. "I thought you said the lava burned you?"

Anakin climbed to his feet and held out both hands for her to see. "I've been healed! Even the arm that Dooku cut off is back, see?"

Slowly Padme reached out and gripped both of his hands, a look of amazement in her eyes. "This doesn't make any sense. How are you _doing_ these things?"

"I'm not doing them. It's Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. Don't you see we belong together? Can't you find it in your heart to forgive me?" Anakin gently wiped the tears from her cheek with the back of his hand and gazed into her eyes, pleading. "I don't want to raise Luke by himself and …"

"What?" Padme cut him off, her dark eyes suddenly big and round. "What did you say?"

"Luke. He's our son, isn't he?" Anakin gazed back calmly as he waited for a reply.

"Yes, but how did you get him?" She asked, confused. "I only saw him once. Obi-Wan had him…"

Anakin suddenly realized how Luke had come to be on the Lars' moisture farm. Obi-Wan must have taken the baby there after Padme had died, the Lars being the boy's only remaining relatives. And there he had stayed these last years growing up on a world his father hated for the pain it had caused him in the past. Obi-Wan must have been sure that his former apprentice hated Tatooine so much that he'd never return. And why should he? He had presumed their child had died with his wife. "He just popped out of the air in my quarters earlier today…"

"Anakin! That doesn't make any sense!" Padme cried.

"I know it doesn't!" Anakin hastily agreed. "I don't understand this any more than you do! But this goddess has apparently taken a liking to our son! He wanted to be with me so she magically transported him to my quarters onboard the star destroyer. And then she healed all my injuries! Believe me when I say this has been the most bizarre day of my life and at the same time it's the happiest. But I'd really wish you'd come back to live with me. I'm afraid I wouldn't know the first thing about raising a child. You know my childhood was anything but normal…"

She narrowed her eyes and studied him for a long moment. "Why is this goddess helping you?"

"She said she's my half-sister?"

"Oh, that's just great!" Padme threw her hands up in the air and started to pace the best she could in the grass. "Now you'll really get a swelled head! As if Palpatine telling you how great you were wasn't enough, now you have godly relatives as well!"

"Look, I can't promise I won't fall to the Dark Side again." Anakin admitted truthfully. "I'm not perfect. I know that. I'd _like_ to promise you that but I don't know what will happen in the future any more than you do. I'll _try_ not to though. I'll gladly give up my life for you or our son. That's the absolute truth. You two mean more to me than my own life. I'll do anything for you."

Padme sighed. She knew all too well that'd he'd do anything for her. That had been the problem. It's why the Jedi Order had been destroyed, all for her. And now he wanted her to trust him again… "Ani, I'm afraid of what you may do if my life is in danger again or if you even _think_ my life is in danger! It wasn't the childbirth that killed me. It was the despair you gave me. I knew I'd lost you forever to the Dark Side and I just didn't want to live anymore so I died."

"I'll be more careful! But I need your help." Anakin knew the clock was ticking. How long had they been talking? He normally had a perfect sense of time and instantly knew that sort of thing but his time sense was all goofed up in this place. Yet he was sure the hour was starting to draw to a close. If he didn't convince Padme soon he'd either be forced to leave by himself or to stay here with her forever. Normally he wouldn't mind spending eternity here at Varykino. It was without doubt his favorite place in the entire galaxy and they could be together. But there was Luke to consider. His forehead creased with concern as he wondered how the young boy was doing all by himself with just the two deities for companions. "With your help I can stay on the Light Side! You and Luke _are_ my light, my guiding light. Now please come back with me?"

Sighing, Padme turned to face him. "What about Leia? You didn't mention her…"

"Leia?" Anakin stared at her blankly.

"Our daughter." Padme explained as she watched him. "I gave birth to twins. Luke was born first and then Leia."

"I have a daughter?" Anakin's mouth dropped open as he gawked at her, his eyes blinking. "Are there any more?"

"No. Twins means two, remember?" She reminded him. Padme was quite for a moment as he continued to gawk dumbly. She attempted to picture Anakin raising the kids by himself and shivered in horror. They'd probably grow up to be Siths like their father and if it wasn't for cleaning droids…no; it was better not to think about that. Who knows what kind of pig style he had been living in these last few years with Obi-Wan to boss him around? He'd probably give the kids anything they wanted to eat and they'd grow fatter than a Hutt. No, it was clear he needed supervision. Her mind made up, Padme started to march in the direction Anakin had came from.

"Where are you going?" Anakin asked as he hurried to catch up with her.

"Back to the real world to live with you, where else?" She replied. She paused to remove her shoes so she could run faster. They were decorative and fancy to go with the dress but not really suited for running. And Anakin _had_ said something about an hour…

Anakin's face lit up with happiness and his blue eyes sparkled. Gripping Padme's hand they ran through the tall grass and wildflowers back the way he had come. Somehow the way back seemed longer and he feared that they'd never reach the park like area with the white stone benches but they did. Ignoring the shocked stares that followed them, they ran full out towards the foggy area on the rock wall just ahead. Side by side, they both leaped through the cool mist and crashed to the hard floor in Hades' office.

Lifting his head, Anakin watched as the last few drops of sand fell through the hourglass on Hades' desk and relief fled through his body. They had just barely made it…

"You've cut it very short, Nephew." Hades remarked as he stared down at the two people on his floor. The God of the Underworld rubbed his chin. "I was beginning to think you'd be staying in the Elysian Fields. I'm sure it was tempting. You know, you remind me of my other half-mortal nephew. He also kept going into the Elysian Fields to see people, to help people. Many times he cut his visits very close just as you did now…"

Anakin got to his feet and helped Padme up as well. He placed an arm around her shoulders and held her close, pressing his forehead against hers. "I'm so glad you came back with me. I was afraid I'd be forced to come back alone…"

"And let you raise our children by yourself? Never!" Padme laughed as she happily gazed into his eyes. Then she felt another pair of eyes watching her and she pulled away slightly from Anakin.

Luke stared at the beautiful woman with his father. She wore a pale rainbow colored dress and had long dark wavy hair. And the really odd thing was that she was barefoot. Unsure, Luke took a hesitant step forward towards her. It had seemed like years while his father had been gone. The man with the golden crown had showed him the hourglass and the dripping sand, explaining that by the time all the sand had passed through to the bottom part an hour would have passed. He had tried to ask him why he didn't use a chronometer but the man just stared at him blankly. He had started to worry when the glass had almost been empty of sand. His throat had felt funny and he had been forced to wipe his nose a few times. Aunt Dite had comforted him the best she could, but she wasn't his father. And then just before the glass had emptied itself Anakin had returned with the beautiful lady. "Are … are you my mother?"

"Yes, Luke, I'm your mother." Padme knelt down and held her arms open for him.

After glancing at his father for reassurance, he went up to her and allowed her to hug him. He wrapped his arms around her lightly and hugged her a bit, too. This mother stuff would take a while for him to get used to it. And she smelled funny, all sweet or something. The smell seemed to crawl up his nose and into his brain and before he knew it he sneezed all over her hair. He wrinkled his nose and wiped at it with his hand.

Padme laughed.

"You smell funny…" Luke told her. "Aunt Beru never smelled funny…"

"Maybe your Aunt Beru didn't wear perfume." Padme suggested to him. From what she remembered of the moisture farm, they didn't have money to waste on things like perfume. It was a hard enough struggle just surviving on a harsh world like Tatooine that had nothing but blowing sand, salt flats and twin suns blazing down to bake everything in sight. She smiled sweetly at her son. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it!"

Luke frowned. He doubted if he'd _ever_ get used to such a noxious smell!

Seeing his frown, Anakin and Padme laughed even harder.

Drawing both his wife and son close, Anakin look at Aphrodite. "We're ready to go. And thank you for helping me get my wife back. It means more to me than I can say…"

"Ah, I _knew_ you two were the perfect couple!" Aphrodite gushed happily as she gazed at them.

"And Uncle Hades?" Anakin said as he turned to look at the dour God of the Underworld. "If there's anyway I can repay you for all your help…?"

"We Olympians exchange favors, Nephew." Hades explained as he looked thoughtfully at the young man before him. "Hmmm, you _do_ remind me of my other nephew. He's helped me out quite a few times in the past. If you're anything like him then I think we shall have a good relationship. Of course, Hercules is a full god these days and spends most of his time running around trying to help mortals. It's what he does, you see. When I need a favor, I'll contact you."

Anakin nodded his understanding. The barter system was quite familiar as it was widely used on Tatooine. So he had a cousin by the name of Hercules… He filed the information in his brain for future use and idly wondered how large of a family he had now.

"Father?" Luke tugged at Anakin's Jedi tunic. "Can we go see the place with the waterfalls now? Please?"

"Sure, I guess so." Anakin glanced at Aphrodite and she nodded. Then the Goddess of Love waved her hand and the happy little family vanished from Hades' realm with a flash of bluish-white light. A few moments later they appeared in the Lake Country of Naboo. Padme stumbled a bit, disoriented from the unusual form of travel and Anakin steadied her.

The sun shone down gently on Padme's face and she gazed around in wonder. It looked so much like the private paradise she had in the Elysian Fields and at the same time it was different. This was more real, more vibrant. The blue of the sky was much bluer, so blue it made her eyes ache but she wouldn't close them for a minute. White puffy clouds chased each other through the blue sky and a flock of birds called noisily overhead. She watched the birds fly overhead for a moment, her spirit soaring high overhead with them. She felt free! Laughing, she threw her arms out wide and spun around in crazy wild circles. Her hair whipped in the wind and it tugged at her dress, the thin material flying in the strong breeze and flapping against her bare legs. The earth was warm under her bare feet, the grass seeds scratchy against her legs. And unlike the Elysian Fields, this place was filled with scents. She could smell the richness of the earth, the scent of the water carried from the nearby falls by the wind as tiny drops of spray fell on her exposed skin. The wild flowers amid the grass added their own natural perfume to the air. Filled with joy at being back home, she threw her arms around Anakin's neck. "Oh Ani! It's perfect!"

Luke was gazing around wide-eyed at everything and not knowing what to look at first. It was just so … so … different! Amazed, he bent down and peered at the grass. He had never seen grass before and he wasn't sure how so much green stuff could exist under an open sky without getting boiled by the sun. But then, it was much cooler here. A bright orange and black butterfly took off from where it had been drinking nectar from a flower and he watched it in amazement as it flew away. Almost immediately he started to chase the tiny insect through the tall grass. He whooped with joy and only skidded to a halt when he spotted a large creature watching him. Unsure what to do, Luke stood still and watched the thing. It was gray and had thick skin like the larger animals he had seen in the town his Uncle had visited a few times. It had four legs, a fat round body and a long nose. He could feel its eyes on him so he stood perfectly still. After a few moments, the thing lowered its head and started to eat grass. Luke sighed in relief. He knew some animals ate plants and some ate meat. This thing, whatever it was, was a plant eater. Bored with the Shaak already, Luke dashed off the way he had come to go look at the thundering waterfall.

The waterfalls were easy to find, the roar as loud as a spaceship taking off. Not that Luke had ever _seen_ a spaceship taking off for real, just in his imagination. But his young mind was sure that this was what it would sound like. When he was still a good distance away he was utterly shocked to find water falling onto him out of the sky carried by the wind. It was incredibly cold and he shivered in spite of himself. Within moments his hair was plastered to his skull and his desert clothing soaked through until it, too, was plastered to his body. Luke stopped a good distance from the rushing water and the deep blue of the lake. The last thing he wanted to do was to fall into all that water. His mind tried to grasp the concept of actually seeing so much water in one place and just couldn't. How could so much water exist under an open sky without needing to be securely locked up in moisture-proof containers? Why, there must be gallons and gallons and gallons of water! And perhaps the oddest of all was that no one seemed to care it was there! Why, he could march right up to it and take a big handful without actually _paying_ for it! Not that he _would_. No, that would be stealing and his Uncle had taught him stealing was wrong. Besides, just seeing all that open water was a bit scary. His mind boggled by the sight before him, Luke sunk into the grass and watched the water pour over the falls.

Finding Luke easily, Anakin and Padme sat down next to their son in the grass. They would have to try and find Leia. For all he knew, Leia might be on the moisture farm as well.

"Luke," Anakin asked as he rested next to his son in the tall grass. "Did anyone else live on the moisture farm with you besides Owen and Beru?"

"No." Luke shook his head and pressed his head and shoulders against the warm mass that was his father. "Why?"

"We're wondering what happened to your sister." Anakin replied. "We were hoping she had been living with you…"

"Sister? I don't have a sister!" Luke exclaimed in loud protest. He really wasn't too sure if he even liked the _idea_ of a sister. What if she was bossy like some of the girls at school? They seemed to know everything and he felt stupid in comparison. Now they wanted to push one of those girls on him! Luke shook his head vigorously. "There must be a mistake! I don't have a sister, honest!"

"Couldn't you ask that goddess?" Padme suggested to her husband, worry in her voice. What had the Jedi done with her little daughter? She had been so small and helpless! "If anything happened to her I'll never forgive myself!"

"I'm sure she's fine…" Anakin said as he attempted to calm his wife down. But deep down in his heart he didn't really know if Leia _was_ all right. The galaxy had been in turmoil and lots of things had been going on. It was a miracle Luke had survived unscathed for as long as he did. But then, Owen and Beru were really good people and he would have to thank them someday for taking his son it. In fact, they were probably worried out of their minds about the boy…

Anakin realized he had two things to do: find Leia and talk to his relatives on Tatooine. But what should he do first?

To be continued…

AN: I guess I'll have to make one more chapter for this story. This one grew really long! I'm not sure what I should do about Leia. I presume she has it pretty nice living with Bail Organa on Alderaan. I'm also thinking it will seem really weird to Leia for some total strangers to show up and say they are her real parents. So I guess I have a lot of thinking to do….


	4. Princess Leia

Wish 4

Author's Note: I've been getting requests to finish this story and I finally have a few ideas what to do about Leia, so I'm going to continue it! I'm not too sure what Leia may have been like as a kid, so I'm going to improvise. OK? For some reason its easier to imagine Luke as a kid, perhaps because we've seen the moisture farm a lot and have a good idea what his childhood would have been like.

Eight-year-old Princess Leia Organa awoke from the strangest dream of her entire life. Her warm brown eyes were open wide as the images flashed through her mind. She wanted to remember as much of the dream as she could, for she was sure it had meant something; but even now it was fading into intangible mists. But what could it mean? Her father would no doubt say it was all just part of her over-active imagination. Why couldn't he _understand_ her? Leia _knew_ she was factual and down-to-earth. Unlike the other kids in her class, she didn't waste time seeing animals in clouds or pretend to fight flashy sword battles from the past. It was all foolishness, really. What good would it do to imagine being some fictional hero from a holodramas? They were all incredibly stupid, anyway! Mainly they showed some bare-chested young man who fought some incredibly stupid villain to save a brainless girl who only cared about her looks and couldn't hold a blaster without chipping her nails. To make it more exciting they threw in big explosions and laser fights. BOR-ING! No, the _real_ power was in politics and she was going to be just like her daddy; the fairest and most honorable Senator … _ever_!

Yawning, Leia stretched her arms high overhead and sat up in her plush bed. Her beautiful bedroom was done up in pink and white color scheme suitable for a Princess. The walls were a soft shade of pink with snowy white trim. The open window let in a warm breeze and the thin nylon curtains fluttered gracefully. Tossing off the light blanket, Leia jumped out of bed and hurried from her bedroom. Her bare feet thumped on the floor as she dodged around busy servants on about their morning chores. She was dressed in only her nightgown and she knew she was supposed to bathe before coming downstairs, but she wanted to see father _now_. What good was being a Princess if you had to follow dumb rules all the time? Worst, Leia was sure she had overslept and if she didn't hurry, he'd leave for the office. If that happened, she wouldn't get the chance to tell him about the dream until tonight and that was just too long to wait. With the grace of a cat, she dashed down the stairs and directly into the sunny breakfast nook where her father often took breakfast.

"Father! I had another one of those dreams last night!" Leia cried with excitement. She tugged a chair out from underneath the table and climbed up onto it. "I think it means something…"

A worried expression flickered across Bail Organa's face and he leaned closer to his young daughter. Putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, he smiled sadly. "Leia, I told you dreams are just dreams. They don't mean anything. Just because you dream something at night doesn't mean it'll come true. You know that."

"But this dream was _different_!" Leia insisted, her bottom lip poking out as she stared defiantly at him, her arms crossed over her slim chest. "It was crystal clear. It was like the one about Mother…"

Bail sighed. He had known years ago that there was the chance the baby girl he had adopted had possessed the Force. Her father, after all, had been none other than Anakin Skywalker: the Chosen One. He had presumed that it would be a simple matter to raise a Force-sensitive child. And why not, a child was a child, was it not? Leia had no idea she was adopted. He would give her a loving home with two stable parents. But then his wife had grown ill and had eventually died. Worst, Leia had dreamed of her mother's death before it had even happened, before she had even grown visibly ill. So he had tried to rationalize it, explain it somehow _without_ mentioning the Force. He wanted his daughter to have a normal happy childhood and not to be worrying about dreams that come in the night. Picking the girl up, he set her on his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "Leia, I explained that to you. You subconsciously knew your mother was ill. I told you why we hid it from you at first. We didn't want you to worry and we believed she would get better. But she didn't. A dream was just the way the two parts of your mind talked to each other…"

Leia was silent as she thought of that first prophetic dream. She had seen her mother turn and walk away from her. The next thing she knew she was awake and crying into her pillow with big loud sobs. And she had just _known_ that her mother was soon leaving her forever.

And then a month later it had actually happened.

Bail gazed into Leia's soft chocolate eyes with concern. "You don't feel guilty for your mother's death, do you?"

"No…" Leia admitted honestly. She knew it hadn't been her fault, even if she had dreamed it. It had been a bit scary, though. She hadn't understood how she could know the future. Surely that was impossible, wasn't it? Her father's explanation made sense, she guessed. But if that was true, then how could she explain this new dream? Snuggling her cheek against his warm shoulder, she closed her eyes in contentment for a moment. "Father, can your mind create people and places you've never seen?"

"I guess so. Everyone has strange dreams, Leia." He soothed as he stroked her back gently. Steeling his nerves for the worst, he asked what he feared. "You didn't dream of anyone dying again, did you?"

"No."

Bail sighed with relief. He knew, of course, that his daughter's dreams were Force-visions. Jedi were well known for them, although the more common folk only cared about the flashy lightsaber battles. If Leia would have grown up in a different world she herself might have been a Jedi Knight someday. But that was the past, long gone. There would be no Jedi. Only two were left and both were in exile, hidden away on secret planets for their own safety. He still remembered the horror of seeing a young Jedi, hardly more than a child, cut cruelly down by clone troopers. The Republic was gone and replaced by the Empire. Palpatine had planned it all from the start and the Dark Side had blinded them all. And as hard as it may seem, this little eight-year-old girl held the future of a galaxy on her thin shoulders. "What did you dream then?"

Leia hesitated for a moment, uncertain how to voice what she had seen in her dream that night. Compared to this, her mother's death dream had been _simple_. Placing a hand on her father's shoulder just below his elaborate collar, she sat up so she could look into his eyes. "Are … do gods exist?"

"Gods?" Bail repeated dumbly, shocked. This was the last thing he had expected. Alderaan was peaceful and if they had had gods in the ancient past, they had outgrown the need.

"I saw two of them. The first was a pretty woman with long wavy blonde hair. The other was a man in brown who wore a gold crown on his head. They brought a woman back to life…" Leia's brow was creased in concentration as she attempted to remember as much as she could.

Bail's confusion faded and he hugged his daughter tightly, tears in his eyes. "Oh, honey! I know you want your mother back. I'm sorry she died. The doctors did everything they could…"

Leia wiggled and squirmed to get free of his grasp. "No, you don't _understand_! It wasn't Mother!"

"I'm sure it represented her though." Gail stated as he blinked back his tears. "Dreams are not always straight-forward. One thing may represent another. Remember?"

Princess Leia pressed her lips together and considered it. She supposed he might be right. She did want her mother back, but she wasn't stupid either. She was old enough to know what dead meant. Once a thing died it didn't come back ever again, except in memory. "Well, if _she_ represented Mother, than what about the man? Who did _he_ represent?"

"The man?" Bail asked, slightly confused. "The one with the gold crown? Well, I suppose that _could_ be me. I am the ruler of this planet…"

"No!" Leia exclaimed, slightly annoyed. "The other man!"

"What other man?" Bail asked, patient as ever. As Leia grew older it was clear she had inherited her father's temper and it was already showing at an early age. That was a little scary. But he reminded himself for the billionth time that there was no need to worry. Leia would never know the truth. She'd never learn to use her powers and therefore she'd never fall to the Dark Side the way Anakin did. It was sad, really. He had possessed so much potential for good. The fate of the galaxy had rested on his shoulders and he had crumbled under the weight.

"The one that the blonde lady healed!" Leia exclaimed as a shiver traveled through her body. Her eyes became unfocused and she had a far-away gaze in them. "I … I feel like I should know him, but I never saw him before. Does that make sense?"

A cold dread settled over Bail's heart as she had said the word 'healed'. That word suggested the man had been injured and when you combine that with the rest of the sentence… No! It wasn't possible! Vader knew nothing of his children! Yoda had discussed the possibility with him, of course. They knew of Anakin's strong feelings for his family and suspected that he wouldn't leave a stone unturned if he had thought his child had survived. Yet once he had reappeared as Lord Vader, incased in that horrible suit and mask, he hadn't done anything but serve Palpatine's will. That's why Yoda had the twins separated at birth. They were safer apart than together, their Force powers hidden among normal folk. His heart pounded in his chest and he forced himself to calm down. He was grasping at straws, getting upset over nothing. If Leia had dreamed that Vader had come for her, she wouldn't be sitting on his lap like this. No, she would be screaming in terror and wide-eyed in fear. The dream probably wasn't a true Force-vision at all. Gods didn't bring people back from the dead. Still, he needed to ascertain for certain just what she had seen. "Leia, this injured man … what did he look like?"

"Well, at first he was kind of scary…" Leia shivered again and closed her eyes tightly. "He was dressed all in black and wore a mask…"

"Vader." Bail whispered.

Leia's brown eyes grew wide. "You … you mean he's _real_?"

Realization dawned and Bail sighed with relief. Why hadn't he thought of it sooner? Of course Leia had seen Vader before! How could he have been so stupid? "Oh, Honey! You must have seen him on the News! He's the right hand to the Emperor! He gets broadcast on the News sometimes and the image made its way into your dream."

A doubtful expression appeared on her face and she bit her bottom lip uncertainly. "I don't remember seeing him on the News…"

"It could have been months ago. Everything you see or read or hear about stays up in your head, even if you don't remember it. Any of it can come out in dreams at any time…" Bail forced a more cheerful expression onto his face and into his voice. He very much wanted this to be true, because the alternative…no, he didn't want to think about that. It would be horrible if Vader ever found her.

"But what about the rest of it?" Leia asked, truly puzzled. "Why did the blonde … goddess? … heal him? Why did they go see the man with the crown? He brought the pretty lady back to life and they all went to the waterfalls… What is it all about?"

"It sounds like a fairy tale, doesn't it?" Bail remarked so he could stall for time. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that Leia had dreamed of her _real_ parents, Anakin and Padme. And the waterfalls, that certainly could be Padme's estate in the Lake Country, on Naboo. But no, that just wasn't possible. There was no way his daughter could know any of these things. Vader's injuries were permanent. It was a sheer miracle, no – a curse, that he had survived. No one should survive such a thing. It was too cruel, even for a Sith. And people couldn't come back from the dead. Yet the similarities were too accurate to ignore.

The Princess nodded, her long brown braid trailing down the back of her pink nightgown. Her Father was right. It _did_ have a fairy tale feel to it. "I … I think he did it out of love. He didn't want the little boy to be motherless so he went to get the lady…"

"Little boy…" Color drained from Bail's face. No, Vader couldn't have found Luke! It was impossible! Anakin _hated_ Tatooine and would never go there. Besides, Obi-Wan was there to watch over the child…

"He's about my age." Leia informed him. Glancing up, she didn't notice the distress on her father's face. "Do you think they'll come here? It'll be great, don't you think? I could have a playmate my own age!"

A cold wave of fear passed through Bail at his daughter's innocent words.

"Of course, he _may_ be some utter geek!" Leia bit her lip again as she considered to her what was a serious matter. The boy in her dream didn't look all that bright. "He had better not be though…"

She rolled her eyes. What was she thinking? _All_ boys were geeks! She really didn't see why girls put up with them at all. They could be such idiots! Well, if he ever had the nerve to show up, she'd show him who was the boss: her! If he started droning on how cool airspeeders were like the mindless fools as school, well, that would be too bad. There were much more important things, like the people and their welfare. One couldn't _eat_ airspeeders. Besides, they were all the same, weren't they? Who cared if this one sloped in the front or that one had a fin on the back? It was all pra…? "Daddy, what was that word again?"

"Hmmm? What word?" Bail asked as she woke him from his thoughts of horror.

"That word where nasty companies use advertising to control your thoughts?"

"Propaganda." Bail replied automatically. Just then the Comm. beeped, announcing a call was coming in. Bail glanced at the nearby chronometer on the wall and was shocked that it was so late. Where had the time gone? He was late for work. Or should he stay home? Still, he had no proof that Vader knew about his daughter, did he? Still, Leia seemed to feel that they were going to come here. It was all so insane, though, with gods mixed into the story. Perhaps he really was worrying over nothing… "Look, Leia, Daddy has to go to work. I'm late already. We'll discuss this dream of your more tonight, all right? I'm not sure what to make of it really. And you do have to go to school…"

Leia frowned at the mention of school and slid off his lap. She liked school enough but at the moment her odd dream seemed far more important than school. Everyday things had no right to intrude on her special dream; even she wasn't to sure what the dream had meant yet. Still, a sense of anticipation hung in the air and she was sure _something_ momentous would happen this day. "All right. I need to go get dressed anyway."

Without a glance behind her, Leia hurried back up the staircase to get ready for school. Being a Princess, she supposed she could have had a private tutor, but her parents weren't snobs. Everyone on Alderaan was treated the same, more or less. Bail Organa truly cared for his people and that caring had rubbed off on his daughter, even if she were only eight-years-old. Mainly she tried to copy his behavior and attitude. After showing and dressing in a fresh outfit, Leia ran back down the staircase feeling slightly guilty. She wasn't supposed to run in the palace, she knew that. But this feeling of excitement had filled her and now she longed to run, to feel the breeze through her long hair. When she got downstairs, she noticed that her father's study door was closed. That most likely meant he was on some boring conference call with some stuffy politician. They all talked pompous, whatever _that_ meant. She reached the door and hurried through it.

The sun was shining brightly and the birds sung a cheerful song. Off in the distance rose the snowy-capped mountains and often she loved to gaze at them through her bedroom window. Alderaan was just so beautiful that she couldn't imagine why anyone would ever leave it. Yet, duty called and she knew when she was old enough she would take her father's place on the Imperial Senate. It was a chore she looked forward to, for it would allow her to do much good for her people. And the people dearly loved her Father. They would do anything for him if he just asked. Her happy mood dimmed slightly as she remembered all that the common folk had done when her mother had died. The streets had been lined with mourners ten deep all the way to the final resting spot. Cards, flowers and all sorts of things had arrived at the house. It had seemed as if the entire world had mourned with them and they probably had done just that.

Shaking the gloomy mood off, Leia skipped down the flower-lined path that led to the giant ornate iron gates. Gripping the black metal warmed by the sun, she pulled it open easily and slipped through. On Alderaan there was no need for locks as there was no crime. Once through, she carefully closed the gate behind her and paused to stare at the beauty that waited in front of her. Even though she had seen the sight over a thousand times, it never failed to thrill her. A thick layer of mist hugged the ground with the faint silhouette of green trees behind it. And behind the trees rose the majestic mountains. A curving path led through the natural beauty and would take her to her school, which was nestled in a flower-dotted valley near the sea. If it weren't for the thin grouping of trees, she could be able to see the school from here.

Voices floated to her ears from among the trees and her heart skipped a beat.

"I'm telling you I don't _have_ a sister!"

That voice … it was from her dream! A hot sensation rushed through her body as the realization that her dream was coming through sunk into her conscious mind. Although she had half expected it, it was still hard to believe. Dreams just weren't _supposed_ to come through. It defied some sort of law or something. And she didn't even _know_ these people. Her sleeping mind had made them up and now there were there, among the trees! She tried to tell her feet to move but they refused to obey her command. Even more confusing, she couldn't make up her mind, which way she should run: towards the strange yet familiar people or away from them.

_I'm going crazy!_

A bright flash of white light stung her eyes and the blonde woman from her dreams appeared out of the air. Bright pink sparkles slowly floated down towards the ground and the blonde squealed in delight. "There you are!"

"Who … who are you?" Leia finally asked as she gazed in utter wonderment at the sparkle-filled air around her.

"I'm your Aunt Dite, of course!" The Goddess said happily. Aphrodite wore her see-through pink dress with a white bikini underneath it. Long blonde waves cascaded down her back and pink high heels were on her feet. "I'm the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. Your father is my half-brother."

"Daddy never mentioned you…" Leia stared up at Aphrodite with huge brown eyes. She was _beautiful_! Then it sunk in of what the Goddess had said. Her daddy…

The boy's voice coming from the trees had mentioned a _sister_…

What if her Daddy wasn't her Daddy at all? Is that what the dream had meant?

Then figures appeared from the mist directly ahead and soon Leia recognized them from her dream. There was the tall man in the dark clothes and the wavy brown hair. Even with the distance between them she could feel his intense stare aimed at her. Some sort of long silver handle dangled from his belt and it swayed with each step. Her mind automatically recognized it from holodramas: a _lightsaber_. But that couldn't be right. Lightsabers weren't _real_! _Jedi_ weren't real! It was just imaginary stories, just like how a Prince was supposed to come riding over on a white charger to claim her hand. Stuff like that _never_ happened, not even on Alderaan!

The woman next to him wore a colorful gown that seemed to float and sway with each step she took. Long ringlets of dark hair trailed down her arms and over her back. A delighted smile seemed to be on her face, as her whole face glowed with it. She was very beautiful, even more beautiful than the blonde goddess in many ways. The dark-haired woman held hands with the tall man and they seemed to belong together.

A boy about her age walked on the man's other side. He wore a white outfit and had sandy, sun-streaked hair. She could feel his eyes on her. Could this really be her _brother_? If so, where had he been all these years?

"Leia!" The dark-haired woman cried and started to run towards her, dragging the tall man along. Then when _he_ started to run, he easily passed her up.

Shock rolled through her body at the sight of the strangers running at her. And they knew her _name_!

And even weirder was that she somehow knew _them_. Deep in her heart she knew the boy was her brother, as she didn't understand _how_ she knew. She just did. And those other two, they were her real parents. She was connected to them somehow…

The man reached her and knelt down in front of her. Up close, she could see how expressive his blue eyes were. Emotions danced within them: happiness, joy, relief and many more that flashed by too quickly. His upper lip trembled and he blinked his eyes rapidly in a lame attempt to hold back the tears that threatened to flow out. "Leia? You have no idea how much it means to me that you're all right…"

His voice choked off as his strong emotions got the better of him.

"Why wouldn't I be all right?" Leia asked as her gaze shifted from the man kneeling before her crying up to the beautiful dark-haired woman. "It's peaceful here on Alderaan…"

Luke studied his sister for a moment, noticing the expensive-looking clothing she wore. Then his blue eyes shifted to the huge palace that rose up behind her. He had seen her come out the wrought iron gate. It was bad enough that she had grown up on such a beautiful planet while he had been stuck out in a desert, but this… He pointed a finger at the towering castle behind her. "You don't live _there_, do you?"

Leia raised her chin slightly. "Of course I do. I'm a _Princess_!"

"A PRINCESS!" Luke cried, horrified. "And here I was worried about you being a GIRL!"

The Princess rolled her eyes, determined to ignore the brainless boy until he proved otherwise. Which when she thought about it, proved highly unlikely.

Padme knelt before her young daughter. "Do you know who we are, Leia? We're your parents, you're _real_ parents. I know this will sound difficult to believe and you may not believe it, but I died when you and your brother were born. Master Yoda obviously thought it was best for you to come and live here with Senator Bail Organa. Bail was, _is_, a good friend of mine. I admit I'm still a bit confused by all the recent advents, but I'm alive again. Your father risked his life to bring me out of the Underworld. It's where I've been these last few years. But now we'd like the opportunity to be your parents again…"

Anakin wiped at his wet eyes and gripped his wife's hand tightly. He still couldn't believe that both of his children had survived the turmoil and had come through unscratched. It was a miracle. Now he held his breath as he waited for his daughter's reply.

"You don't look very surprised to see us…" Padme stated after a few brief seconds of silence. "Did Bail tell you the truth? I know Luke wasn't told."

"No, I've always thought Mother and Father were my parents…" Leia nervously said as she studied the young couple before her. "That is, until I had that dream last night…"

"Dream?" Anakin's blue eyes focused on her.

"I saw all of you in a dream." Leia explained as she hesitantly reached out to touch him. "You are _real_, aren't you? Or did my mind make you all up last night? Because people can't _really_ dream the future, I mean, that's just crazy. Right?"

Anakin and Padme exchanged a knowing look, and then he turned his attention to his daughter. "Yes, Leia, you _can_ sometimes see the future in a dream. And now I think we have a lot to talk about."

To be continued…


	5. Confrontation With Bail

Wish 5

Author's Note: Here is another chapter!

Anakin and Padme exchanged a knowing look, and then he turned his attention to his daughter. "Yes, Leia, you _can_ sometimes see the future in a dream. And now I think we have a lot to talk about."

"We should go see Bail." Padme decided as she rose back to her full height from where she had knelt before her young daughter. A slight frown creased her pretty face as she realized they would most likely have a problem convincing her old friend of their identity. Although he had been a true and devoted friend, he had never really worked so close to the Jedi. It was far more likely he would think this all some horrid trick to get Leia away from him and she couldn't blame him, either. He would most likely give his life to save her daughter from the Sith.

The Sith…

The Sith had ruined everything for her in her previous life … or was it this life? Padme frowned. It was all very confusing. But was she really doing the right thing by leading Anakin to Leia or was she just placing her young daughter in dire danger? Was her true love really free of the Dark Side? And more importantly, would he stay that way? They had been so happy together during their brief stay on Naboo in the Lake Country but it had all collapsed when they had come to Coruscant. Life had demanded too much from them. Anakin had to face the War and then Palpatine had piled more work on his young shoulders, forced him onto the Council… Concern for her husband and children filled her and she nervously bit her bottom lip. She would like to think that her little family would stay happy together but how could she be sure? What if the lure of the Dark Side called him back? And surely Palpatine would come looking for his one and only apprentice?

Feeling his wife's unease through the force, Anakin turned to look at her. His clear blue eyes were filled with concern. "What is it?"

"Oh, Ani!" Padme through her arms around his neck and buried her face against his dark leather tunic. "How do we know we're doing the right thing? We may just be putting our children in more danger by bringing them together like this! How will we protect them when Palpatine comes looking for you?"

Anakin held her and gently rubbed her back with his hand. He had been so caught up in the miracle of actually having Padme back and discovering he was a father that he had totally forgotten about Palpatine. His happy mood evaporated as he thought of the elderly man who had stolen so much from him. The man was incredibly manipulative and shrewd. It was how he had risen to his current title of Emperor. Palpatine had lied to him, had dangled the most tempting bait before his desperate hands and he had fallen for it. He himself had even destroyed all the Jedi just to save one woman. How could he have done such a thing? The need for revenge on his former Sith Master burned within him but he shoved it back down. To tread that path was sheer folly, as it would lead him right back to the Dark Side. Releasing a puff of breath, he let the anger evaporate into the surrounding air. He had everything he needed right here and he would be a real fool to risk it. "Don't worry, Padme. We'll think of someway to keep our family safe, I'm sure. We have the Gods on our side, don't we?"

Padme nodded. She had almost forgotten about Aphrodite. Pulling slightly back from her husband, she gazed into his expressive eyes. "But how will we explain all this to Bail? He most likely won't believe we're who we say we are…"

"We'll find a way." Anakin calmly replied as he led his wife through the wrought iron gates, their two children trailing behind. Truthfully, he wasn't as calm as he appeared to be, his insides jumping like a very badly tuned airspeeder. Senator Bail Organa would be the first person he would meet as a Jedi again and he had no idea how the man would react. It was also highly likely that the man would rip Leia away from him and declare him a threat or a fraud. People just didn't come back from the dead to reclaim the children they had left behind. And _was_ he really a Jedi again? He had the training, yes, but no one had ever come back from the Dark Side before. Should he even try using the Force or would that be dangerous? He had no knowledge on the subject and the last thing he wanted to do was to place his family in danger because of his own possible instability. After walking through the garden, he pushed the door open and went inside. Just as he and Padme entered the breakfast nook, the door to Bail's office opened and the dark haired man emerged, a big ruffled collar around his neck.

A shocked expression flew across Bail Organa's face as he instantly recognized two people from his distant past. His dark eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The young couple that stood across the room looked exactly like Padme and Anakin … but that was impossible! He knew for a fact that Padme was dead. He had been there when she had died aboard his spaceship. And Anakin … he was Lord Vader now! Tearing his eyes off the ghosts from his past, his eyes slid lower and spotted the children. Leia, his precious Leia, was standing beside the woman imposter!

His mind flew back to the very disturbing comm. call he had just received, all the way from Tatooine. Master Kenobi had contacted him, the serious and always calm Jedi being frazzled and worried out of his mind. Luke, the hope of the entire galaxy, had just vanished into thin air. Both Beru and Owen were dashing around the farmstead in a wild state of panic, fearful it had been the dreaded Sandpeople once again. Yet there was no evidence to support that fact. No footprints, no gaffe sticks, no bantha tracks, no nothing. It was more than disturbing, and Obi-Wan feared the worst: Sith activity. Yet he had never sensed Vader nearby and he should have if his former apprentice was involved. And so he had turned his mind to worst scenarios that involved bounty hunters hired by Palpatine himself. Only they would be skilled enough to snatch the boy without leaving the slightest clue that they had ever been there.

And then Bail had told Obi-Wan of Leia's dream in a heavy voice, fear evident in his eyes. But to the Senator's dismay, even the Jedi didn't know what to make of it. So the comm. call had ended with Kenobi warning Bail to be on his highest guard and to keep Leia safe, just in case. They couldn't afford to loose _both_ of Anakin's offspring, as they were the only remaining Jedi in the entire galaxy. When they were old enough, they would take up the battle for freedom and hopefully would win. It was their only chance.

And so it was with supreme shock that Bail realized the young sandy-haired boy standing next to the Anakin look-alike must be the missing Luke Skywalker. And these look-alikes, which must make them the _kidnappers_! "Leia, come here!"

Leia glanced from her real parents to the man she had known as her father her entire life, sensing trouble brewing. He was using his stern, commanding voice, which meant he expected to be obeyed or else she'd be grounded. Not that she disobeyed very often, no. There just wasn't anything _worth_ being grounded for. Flicking her eyes sideways for a brief moment, she could see her brother slightly and a weak grin appeared on her lips. She bet _he_ got grounded a lot! He looked the sort, with his messy hair and odd clothing. Perhaps later he would properly introduce himself and she could learn exactly who he was. Raising her chin somewhat in the air, he walked regally to her father's side and gripped his large hand with one of her own. "Father, these are the people I saw in my dream. They say they're my real parents. Is that true?"

Bail's mind was swimming in a mass of confusion, but he quickly picked Leia up and held her tightly in his arms. Ignoring his daughter's question, he kept his eyes on the intruders. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I assure you it's not funny!"

"Bail, it's me!" Padme stated as she took a step forward, a smile on her face. "I know it sounds crazy, but I'm back!"

"If you're claiming to be Padme Amidala…" Bail glared at her angrily, his arms tightening around the eight-year-old girl in his arms. "I know for a fact she's dead. I was there. I was the one who had to take her body home to her family…"

"Yes, I remember being on your ship." Padme calmly told the senator. "I gave birth there. First Luke was born and then Leia. Obi-Wan was there as well."

Bail frowned, not understanding how someone could possibly have that much information. It was near impossible. No one knew of Padme's pregnancy as she had hidden it well, although for different reasons. She had feared the Jedi Council would find out and they would get in trouble. But the secret had worked in favor for the Jedi as well, as it made it so much easier to hide the babies from the Sith. The only other people that knew the truth of that day were Obi-Wan and Master Yoda; neither of who would risk the children's welfare. "I don't know how you know all that…"

"Senator Organa, please, listen to us." Anakin studied the politician with his usual intense gaze, reading his emotions easily. The man clearly feared the worst and was very confused, which was to be expected. "We mean you and your family no harm. I can understand your confusion. But believe me, we _are_ who we appear to be. I really am Anakin Skywalker and this is my wife, Padme Amidala. Through a miracle I've been healed of all my injuries and freed of the Dark Side. I've risked my life to bring Padme back from the dead and as you can see, I've succeeded."

"Back from the dead? This is insane!" Bail exclaimed, his normally calm voice rising. "People do _not_ come back from the dead! What kind of fool do you take me for?"

"How can we prove to you that we're telling the truth?" Padme asked in a worried voice. She could see that her old friend was being mistrustful and who could blame him? If she were in his shoes, she wouldn't believe it, either. Yet the negotiations were failing. If they couldn't convince him, then they may very well loose Leia all together. "Surely there must be some way…"

"You're no doubt the kidnappers I was informed about!" Bail's dark eyes landed on the young boy that stood next to Anakin. The boy appeared to be the same age as his daughter and his clothing matched that of Tatooine. Softening his voice in an effort not to scare the child any more than what he was, he spoke. "Luke, you are Luke are you not?"

Luke nodded, gripping the edge of the leather tabards that Anakin wore. "Yes, sir."

"Did these people kidnap you from your Uncle's farm?" Bail asked gently. His arms were beginning to tire from holding Leia and he hefted her upward, her arms clinging around his neck.

"No…" Luke replied, slightly jealous that his sister was being held so lovingly. He couldn't ever remember his Uncle holding him that way. "My Uncle bought this new pink droid and it could grant wishes. So I wished to be with my father and then I was somewhere else…"

Bail gawked at Luke, not knowing what to make of that.

Leia rolled her eyes. "See? I _told_ you! The pink droid turned into that blonde lady I mentioned and she healed him! Then they went and saw the guy with the crown!"

"Leia, sweetie…" Bail replied as he focused his eyes on her for a moment. "Things like that just don't happen. It's impossible!"

Leia squirmed to get down and Bail was forced to release her, his arms aching. Pouting, she turned to face him. "Well, it's true! I _saw_ the goddess with my own eyes! She appeared in a sparkle of pink petals and said she was my Aunt Dite!"

"Oh, honey. You know people can't really just appear out of the air. It must have been a hologram you saw…" Bail told himself, hoping it was true. The world he lived in wasn't perfect, but it was rational. The galaxy followed rules and there was a logical explanation for everything. "Clearly these people wanted you to _think_ you saw a goddess. You know gods are just an old myth. They never really existed. Only primitive cultures still worship them…"

Leia frowned slightly, her brown eyes narrowing. She understood that in Court people had to _prove_ what they said was true. They needed proof, whether it is records or some other sort of evidence. A slight tremor of excitement raced through her body as she realized she could hold her very first case right here. She would prove to her father she was telling the truth and not making up foolish stories. Her brown eyes sparkled with anticipation and she poked her nose up into the air, standing erect as possible. She was mimicking the behavior she had seen of the Senate in session, the recording her Father had shown her of Coruscant. In her mind's eye she imagined she was standing in one of the floating devices within the great assembly hall, thousands of Senators clinging to her every word. Someday she'd be there for real, but for now she'd practice here in the breakfast nook. "Will you believe me if I show you?"

Bail sighed, but nodded his agreement.

A smile appeared on Leia's face and she took a deep breath. "Aunt Dite!"

Aphrodite appeared amid a shower of pink sparkles and squealed with delight upon seeing Leia. Bending down, Aphrodite scooped the girl up and spun her around in a circle. Laughing with glee, Leia threw her arms out wide.

Bail's bottom jaw dropped in shock.

Luke's face darkened as he watched his so-called _sister_ receiving yet more attention. Scowling, he started yanking on Anakin's tabard, hard. When he saw his father look down at him, Luke lifted his arms upward towards him. Within seconds he was lifted upward and he securely wrapped his arms around the young man's neck, his hands tangling in the wavy hair. "I still don't see why we need _her_ for. She's just a bossy _girl_!"

Anakin laughed. "Your mother is just a girl, too, you know…"

Luke's blue eyes shifted to Padme. She did look a _bit_ like a girl. Then he shook his head, his shaggy hair flying about. "Well, I suppose I could forgive her for being a girl, as she's my mother. But that _other_ one is annoying!"

"Luke!" Padme exclaimed as she drew closer to him. "You and Leia are twins! You're supposed to think alike."

"When I grow up, I'm _never_ going to get married to a girl!" Luke vowed seriously. "And I'm not going to think like _her_, either!"

Both Anakin and Padme laughed at his oh-so-serious tone and then returned their full attention to Bail. Luke's funny comments had helped relieve some of the stress that had built up in the young couple and now that the jokes were over, it was time to return to business. They looked just in time to see Aphrodite set Leia carefully onto the floor. Then with a snap of her fingers, a bright pink lounge chair appeared from nowhere. It had a curled back and stood on four dainty carved wooden legs, the upholstery rich and exuberant. Relaxing, Aphrodite sprawled on it and stretched out her long legs. A golden chalice appeared in her hand and she sipped the mysterious liquid within.

Bail's jaw dropped even further. "How … how …"

Aphrodite sat up, a concerned expression on her face. "Oh, you poor man! It must be such a shock to see me!"

"Who are you?" Bail finally asked in a strained voice. This was without doubt the strangest day of his life.

"I'm Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love!" The beautiful blonde explained. "These days we rarely ever show ourselves to mortals, you know. But we do make exceptions for family. Anakin is my bro. He's a demigod, you know. Of course, he doesn't have _all_ the powers like a real god…"

Senator Organa stared at her, mouth agape. It was just too much to accept in a single day. Padme back from the dead, Anakin healed of his horrible injuries, a real goddess relaxing in his cozy breakfast nook… Several times he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He didn't even know where to begin on the subject. Someone had turned the galaxy upside-down and now he had to accept it? Then something clicked in his head.

It was Padme, really Padme!

Rushing around the goddess's pink sofa, he dashed up to Padme and hugged her, tears in his eyes. "I … I can't believe it's really you! I had thought it was some awful trick. Surely you must understand?"

"Of course I do, Bail." Padme reassured her friend.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" Bail said as he pulled back from hugging her and wiped at his wet eyes. He could feel someone's eyes on him and he turned to face Anakin. The intense young man looked the same as he had in those last fateful days and he couldn't stop himself from taking a quick step back, away from the Jedi. He and Anakin had never been friends. They had occasionally seen each other at meetings or in passing, but that was it. And now to have him suddenly standing once again before him…

This was the same exact man who had helped kill all the Jedi, who had murdered Younglings in the Council Chamber, who had killed Padme with his own anger…

Who had become the most feared man in the galaxy: Lord Vader….

And now, here he was, in _his_ house!

A tremble passed through Bail as he realized this was no look-alike intruder but the real thing. If Padme was real then so was Anakin. Sith or Jedi, it didn't matter. Both possessed fantastic powers and could practically do what they wanted. The Jedi reined themselves in by choice, but from what he had heard, Anakin never was much for control. And if he wasn't mistaken, he still had all the knowledge and power of Lord Vader.

_He'll take Leia!_

"What are you staring at?" Anakin asked, uneasy at the senator's gaze. "I'm not Vader anymore."

"How do I know you're not?" Bail bravely asked. He had never personally dealt with a Sith before and found it unnerving to say the least. It was well known that Lord Vader could strangle people without touching them so physical distance would mean nothing. All the years of hiding and protecting the twins had come to naught as he had them both. Nor was Bail foolish enough to think he could stop Anakin from taking Leia. How could you stop someone who could kill with a single thought or lifted heavy objects with a simple hand motion?

"Do I _look_ like Lord Vader?" Anakin asked as he continued to hold Luke in his arms easily.

"You don't need the famous suit to be Vader." Bail stated, his heart pounding within his chest. He feared saying the wrong thing and making Anakin angry. Obi-Wan had told him how his moods could swiftly change; darken just like the sun setting. He was extremely volatile, jealous of others getting too close to Padme and had a host of other problems as well. The last thin he wanted to do was to get into an argument with him. Yet the idea that he was still a Sith clung stubbornly and he couldn't forget it.

_I need help_…

Yes, he needed to call someone and not the volunteer guards, either. Vader could make mincemeat of them in seconds. He needed some _real_ help.

Anakin blinked his eyes. "No, I don't suppose I need the suit to be Vader."

Padme glanced worriedly from Anakin to Bail. The last thing she needed was for her old friend to stir her husband up. "Bail, please trust me. He's not on the Dark Side! He's been cured!"

"My apologies." Bail bowed and smiled sweetly. He gestured to the table nestled next to the windows. "Why don't you sit down and relax? I'll have the servants prepare a light meal for us."

Anakin watched Senator Organa leave the room and sighed. "Is everyone going to react like that when they see me?"

"I hope not…" Padme replied, sad. Shifting closer to him, she wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder. She knew that such negative reactions hurt him and she feared they just might drive him back to the Dark Side again. Yet how could she just expect people to forget?

"I suppose I deserve it though…" Anakin replied glumly. Was it only a short time ago he had been happy and laughing with his family? It seemed like ages ago…

"Don't think like that!" Padme exclaimed, worried. "Try to think positively."

"Obi-Wan always used to say that…" Anakin tightened his grip on Luke, forcing himself to remember he had a family now and the Jedi Council couldn't take them away. He had made sure of that, hadn't he? If only they hadn't been so strict, none of it would have been necessary. He could have told them of his marriage and they could have rejoiced for his happiness. But the Jedi hadn't thought that way.

Padme lifted her head from his shoulder and look at him. "Do you miss him?"

"Of course I miss him. He was like a brother or a father to me. But I doubt if _that_ rift could be repaired." Anakin thought back to the horrible fight on Mustafar and a tear leaked down his now smooth cheek. No, it was perfectly clear he had lost Obi-Wan forever. If his friend and mentor still cared about him, he wouldn't have walked away and left him lying there, aflame. Things had gone too far and there was no going back. They both had tried to kill each other. Well, mostly it was his entire fault. Anakin knew that. Sniffling, he wrapped one arm around his wife and drew her close again. He just wished Obi-Wan would forgive him his mistakes but he doubted even a goddess could fix that. No, it was impossible.

Princess Leia approached the table and watched the tree strangers for a moment. She now knew her brother's name was Luke and that somehow her adoptive father, Bail, had _known_ the boy. He also seemed to know the other two as well, although he hadn't been happy at seeing the wavy-haired man. Still, curiosity burned within her body and she wasted no time crawling up onto the curved bench next to the woman – Padme. "Excuse me, but you did say you'd explain my dreams to me…"

Anakin shifted his gaze to his young daughter, feeling slightly better that she wasn't avoiding him. But then, she was just a child and knew nothing of the Sith or what he had done. "Your dream was a Force-vision. The Force must be strong with you."

"The Force?" Leia repeated and rolled her brown eyes. "Next you'll be claiming you're some sort of Jedi!"

"But I _am_ a Jedi!" Anakin replied, unsure why she was reacting this way. "Ever since I was a little boy I dreamed of being a Jedi."

"Oh, don't be silly!" Leia waved a hand at him and continued to roll her eyes. She stuck her nose up in the air regally, testament to the Princess she was. "There's no such thing as Jedi! It's just some silly thing they put on holodramas. Everyone knows that! I think perhaps all the fiery explosions carry you away, don't they? So you get this idea in your head to be a _hero_, go running off bare-chested to rescue some airhead damsel-in-distress. Well, _I_ don't watch such utter nonsense!"

"But that's the _best_!" Luke loudly cried from where he rested upon Anakin's lap, one arm wrapped around his waist. "There was this really cool one and it…."

"I _don't_ want to hear about it!" Leia glared at her twin with narrowed eyes. Her estimate of him had just fallen two notches.

Anakin stared open-mouthed at her. "You … you don't believe in Jedi?"

"Of course not!" Leia firmly repeated. "I already told you."

"What _do_ you believe in then?" Padme asked, taken aback by her daughter's bold statement.

"_I'm_ going to be a Senator when I grow up!" Leia stated.

Anakin and Padme exchanged glances. It was clear which one of them Leia was taking after.

A grin appeared on Anakin's face and he fished something off his belt. Holding it away from the children, he flicked it on.

_Snap-hiss_!

Leia's eyes focused on the humming lightsaber and her mouth dropped open. "A real lightsaber!"

"Well, I told you I was a Jedi." Anakin grinned and the smile faltered a bit when he noticed the color of his blade. It was still red. Apparently the drink Aphrodite had given him had only healed his physical injuries, not changed the color of his lightsaber. He would have to do that himself. Thinking of the odious task before him, he frowned. Building a lightsaber wasn't easy. He would need the special crystals and they only existed on one planet in the entire galaxy. Sith used artificial ones, hence the laser sword's red color.

In his office, Bail sat before the comm. and placed a long distance call to Tatooine.

"What is it, Bail?" Obi-Wan asked as a blue hologram of the bearded Jedi appeared. "Did something happen to Leia as well?"

"No, he's here!" Bail cried as he wrung his hands together. "I don't know what to do. You must come here at once! Luke is here as well…"

"Who is there?" Obi-Wan asked as his brows rose in confusion. "I can't read your mind, Bail. You must tell me."

"Your apprentice, Anakin!" Bail wailed.

"You mean Vader?"

"No, Anakin!" Bail replied as he started to pace the small area near the hologram machine. "He's back as he was before! There's not a mark on him anywhere! No burns, no char, no nothing! He even has two real hands!"

Obi-Wan frowned. "That's impossible!"

"And Padme is with him!"

Obi-Wan's mouth dropped open.

"Stop gaping at me like a fish and get over here!" Bail ordered amid more hand wringing. "If you hurry, you can rescue Luke!"

"I'm on my way…"

To be continued…


	6. Obi

Wish 6

"I'm on my way…"

Shaking his head, Obi-Wan slowly stood from where he had been seated in front of his comm.. The things Bail had told him was just absolutely insane and he didn't know what to make of it at all. How could Anakin be healed of all of his injuries? How did Luke get on Alderaan? Was Bail involved in shady things, things he kept secret and this was supposed to be some sort of trap to lure him out into the open? Was he being forced to say those outrageous lies, perhaps with stormtroopers standing just in the background with guns pointed at his head? Or was Bail in even deeper trouble? Had he got involved with recreational drugs and he was hallucinating it all, mistaking the false visions for reality? It was no secret the man's wife had died and had left him alone with the young girl to raise on his own. Could the grief have driven him to sampling things he'd never touch otherwise? Or was he just insane?

"I don't know what to make of any of this!" Obi-Wan grumbled under his breath as he moved about his small hut gathering together the few things he needed to take with him. He was still tired from running around searching desperately for the slightest clue to Luke's whereabouts and now he was forced to make the long trip to Mos Eisley. The man's blue eyes widened and he smacked himself on the forehead with his palm. "Drat! How am I supposed to get off the planet? I don't have a ship anymore nor the kind of money I'd need to book passage…"

Being a Jedi, Obi-Wan was used to living frugally. Jedi didn't care about collecting material things as most sentient species did, as they weren't raised that way. Back in the Temple their rooms had been sparse and austere with just what they needed. His simple hut in the desert was the same and included its own small water evaporator. Tossing another tunic into his bag, Obi-Wan frowned. The unusual situation was sending loud alarm signals through his mind and he didn't care for it at all. Still, he had a duty to do and he wasn't about to slack off. Luke was really his responsibility, even though the Lars was the ones to actually raise the boy. The idea that someone unseen had snuck in right under his nose and snatched him, that stung. But his Jedi skills had gotten somewhat rusty out here. There really wasn't much to do except sit on the edge of the cliff and stare downward at the ruined village…

The village…

Some of the rounded domes of the Tuskan camp still remained as ragged ruins, but mostly it was wiped out. Tatooine was a vile planet and the harsh sandstorms had done their job well. A few more years and the last ragged sticks would be gone, buried under the sand. Even the ever-resourceful Jawa avoided the place due to the horrifying rumors. Nothing kept people away better than a ghost story and the one Obi-Wan had discovered here was interesting indeed. It involved a vengeful demon that had slaughtered an entire tribe of the most dangerous Sandpeople, the deaths themselves coming swift and quick. One minute the tribal members had been enjoying a peaceful night and the next they were dead, their headless corpse bleeding into the sand. But even if every single scrap was covered by mile thick sand the Jedi would know the exact spot, for he could feel the intense grief pouring out of the area. It was a constant reminder of his failure and so he sat on his cliff staring down at the very spot where Shmi had died.

It broke his heart more than the destruction of the Temple had.

The demon the local legend spoke of was none other than Anakin, of course.

Carrying his bag in his hand, Obi-Wan went outside and stood at the edge of the cliff looking down. That was the spot where it had all started slipping rapidly downhill. If only he hadn't listened to the Council! If he would have been stronger, like Qui-Gon, none of this may have happened. His place had been with his Apprentice but he had been so convinced that the Council knew what they were doing. They were supposed to be wise, weren't they? Even than he had doubts circling in the back of his mind like black birds over a dying creature ready to descend, but that was nothing new – he had always had doubts. Unlike most of the Jedi, he had never really felt grown-up and confident of his abilities. It was far easier to listen to the Council and obey their wishes than to go against them. So what if they only looked at Anakin's abilities? His Apprentice had been wonderfully gifted and had learned at an incredible rate, but his emotions were a whole different story. He had known the boy wasn't ready to be on his own yet, no matter his age or skill in the Force. He had mentioned it to the Council but they had readily dismissed it. And so he had been sent on one mission while Anakin was given the task to guard Padme.

That had been a disaster.

Sighing, he turned his back on the ruins of the Tuskan village and started thinking of possible ways to get off planet. Dwelling on the past wouldn't do him any good. What was done was done. Besides, he would need a clear mind to solve this unusual problem; whatever it was. Raising his eyes off the sandy ground beneath his feet, he was utterly shocked to see a wavy-haired blonde woman standing just in front of him! And what was even stranger was he hadn't heard her approach. His home was literally in the middle of nowhere and it was impossible to get out here by foot. Doing that was sheer folly and a person would die from exposure. Yet he had heard no engines at all; whether they graced a speederbike, airspeeder or spacecraft. Nor had he felt her presence approaching. Living out here you needed your wits about you and the aging Jedi had trained his to be on constant guard. The desert may look empty but it was the home to some very nasty predators, all of them eagerly searching for their next meal.

Yet there she stood!

Even more shocking was her form of dress. She wore a very light and flimsy pink dress that was see-through, a white bikini underneath it. How she could travel around on Tatooine with its two blazing suns was beyond him. She should be fried to a crisp, her skin dried and mummified. Yet she showed none of the usual signs of dehydration. Her skin, what he could see of it and in his opinion that was way too much, looked soft and fresh with not the slightest trace of sunburn. Her long, wavy blonde locks displayed not a single drop of sweat; something which should have been impossible. Her hair sparkled in the bright sunlight, the individual hairs lush and vibrant. His startled eyes dropped lower and he gawked at her high heels. They were a shocking shade of pink and open-toed, totally inappropriate for a desert environment. How she had managed to reach him hut was beyond his wildest imagination. If she tried to walk any distance the heels would either snap off or sink down into the deep sand. Worst, she could break an ankle. The scent of flowers in bloom drifted off her and tickled his nose with memories of a much nicer environment.

Obi-Wan forced his eyes back up to her face. "May I help you? I really don't have much time to spare but if you're lost…?"

"I'm Aphrodite and I'm here to take you to Alderaan." The blonde Goddess said happily, a big smile on her face. She put her two hands together and squealed happily, bouncing on her heels slightly. "I'm just _so_ excited about you two getting together again!"

The Jedi blinked. "Excuse me?"

The Jedi doubted that this woman, whoever she was, was a qualified pilot. And no one but Bail knew he was going to Alderaan. Nor had the Senator mentioned sending a ship to pick him up. Most likely the politician still thought he possessed his old Jedi Starfighter from years ago and that just wasn't true. Getting rid of the ship was one of the first things he had done. It was just too noticeable and easily recognized. He was supposed to be hiding, not advertising his presence to the entire Empire.

Aphrodite's face turned serious; her big blue eyes mournful and sad as a frown appeared. "He really needs you, you know. You should have stayed with him…"

There was something incredibly weird going on and Obi-Wan knew it. When he had reached out to her with the Force he had sensed such incredible power. It was like nothing he had ever encountered before. Anakin had always seemed like a bright burning sun to him but this Aphrodite, she was like a blinding supernova! The power she possessed must be off the charts and he wondered what she really was. She looked human enough but he had learned long ago not to trust his sight alone. There were creatures that could make themselves look human. He and Anakin had run into one of them years ago on Coruscant. "Are you referring to Anakin?"

The blonde nodded.

"And how…" Obi-Wan dropped his bag onto the hard, cracked earth near his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you know about Anakin may I ask?"

"Because I'm his big sister!" Aphrodite exclaimed.

Obi-Wan's blue eyes narrowed. "He doesn't _have_ a sister. Trust me. Now I don't know what sort of game you're playing, but I have a job to do."

Unfortunately for him, the blonde was blocking his path.

"I'm his _half_-sister." She explained matter-of-factly. Her blue eyes still looked sad and forlorn, the corners of her mouth dropping down. She wrapped her hands around herself as if she felt cold, which was impossible due to the too-hot climate. "Look, Anakin is a Demigod and he _needs_ you!"

The Jedi raised a brow. "Do you really expect me to believe that? Anakin is as human as I am!"

"No he isn't! He's half human and half god! Oh, why don't people believe in us anymore?" Aphrodite wailed loudly in clear distress. It had been prophesied long ago by the most unpopular god that a time would come when mortals would stop believing in them. Due to this frightful announcement, none of the other Olympians would friend with him after that and he had suffered on his own. Still, the day had come to pass. Yet they had not vanished, as they had feared.

"And I suppose you expect me to believe you're a real Goddess?"

"I'm the Goddess of Love." Aphrodite held out a hand, palm upward. Within seconds a brightly glowing white ball appeared in it, looking just like a miniature glowing white star. She drew her arm backward and threw the white glowing ball off the cliff.

Turning to watch its progress, Obi-Wan's jaw dropped when it struck the sand below and created a mini crater. A second later a loud boom reached his ears and the hot rushing wind plastered his hair against his head and his brown robe against his legs. What he had just witnessed was staggering and he slowly sunk down to his knees. The hard ground was hot under his body and he allowed the blazing heat to sink into his legs. The power signature supported her claim and what he had just saw, well, that cemented it solid. Gods really existed and one was standing before him as if it was normal. Worse, she was tossing balls of energy around with her bare hands as if it were nothing. If he wasn't mistaken, the white energy he just saw was akin to the laser beams that blasters produced. Gulping, he realized he should be thankful that Anakin couldn't do that. That would be a real nightmare, one far worst than the Empire or Vader.

Aphrodite bent forward, her hands braced against her legs. Her thick blonde wavy hair fell forward and cascaded over her chest like a waterfall. "Hey, I know you're surprised and all, but it's OK. We used to appear to people before, you know. Anyway, I healed Anakin and brought Padme back from the Elysian Fields. Isn't that great? They make such a _cute_ couple!"

Obi-Wan raised his head and glanced up at her. "So _you're_ the one that's created all this confusion?"

The blonde Goddess shrugged. "I'm a Goddess, OK? I can do what I want. And they _belong_ together! He was just so miserable on his own! And by the way, you're miserable, too, you know. But you don't have to be. He needs your support, too."

Frowning, Obi-Wan leaned backward slightly, a propped hand holding him up. He could just imagine how glad Anakin would be to see him after Mustafar. In fact, he clearly dreaded the moment. Licking his dry lips, he contemplated the pink vision before him. "Let me get this straight. You're a real Goddess with phenomenal powers and you make people fall in love with each other. And Anakin just happens to be your younger half-brother? Is that correct?"

Aphrodite smiled brilliantly. "Exactly!"

"And so it wasn't his fault that he fell in love with the Senator but yours?"

"Hey!" She cried, her brows knitting together. "Don't make me into some kind of villain here! There's nothing wrong with falling in love! It's one of the best things in this entire galaxy! It's a very important job I have and it's not easy. I work hard at it and never get any days off. Sure, I have my son Cupid to help me but still, it's a tough job. And there are a lot of people that go around and try to ruin it for me. I don't know how the Order got to be such a bunch of old sour pusses anyway…"

Obi-Wan let the comment slide. Everyone was entitled to their own opinion of the Jedi Council and most days he didn't think very highly of them, either. Climbing to his feet, he sighed. It appeared he was just stuck with this odd situation and would have to deal with it. Brushing bits of sand off his clothes, he scrutinized her more carefully. "You mentioned you were going to take me to Alderaan? Do you have a ship?"

"No, of course not!" Aphrodite replied. "We're going to travel the celestial highway like the gods do. Mainly we just pop from here to there. Its practically instantaneous."

Obi-Wan's blue eyes widened and he gulped nervously.

What had he gotten himself into?

"But you have to promise me you'll support him!" The Goddess said as she poked a long pink fingernail into his chest. "It's not easy being a Demigod! My other half-brother, Hercules, is one as well. He could have fallen to the dark side but he didn't. Do you know why? It's because his best friend, Iolaus, stuck with him through thick and thin. He was there when Hera had murdered Hercules' entire family with a huge fireball. His wife and children were killed in the burning wreckage of their house."

Aphrodite's head dropped sadly at this and the Jedi saw tears running freely down her cheeks. Sniffing, she made a pink hanky appear out of thin air and dabbed at her wet eyes. "And Iolaus traveled with my bro everywhere. They fought monsters together and shared everything; even the three-headed ones. They laughed around campfires and told each other stories, but most importantly of all they helped people. Hercules is the Champion of Mortals and Ani can be one, too, but you need to help him stay on the right path. Being stuck between Heaven and Earth is one of the hardest things in this galaxy. It's a very difficult life fraught with dangers but the reward at the end is well worth it. But he can't do it alone."

"I … I don't know if Anakin would even want me around after what happened." Obi-Wan commented, guilt chewing at him. He had felt guilty before and now he felt even worst. "He probably hates me…"

"Of course he doesn't!"

"Well, after Mustafar I'm the last one he wants to see…"

"You have to promise me you'll help him!" Dite gripped him by both shoulders and stared into his eyes, pleading. "Don't you see? You can't lift a pebble with one finger!"

"What?"

"It's something Chiron used to tell my bro." Aphrodite explained as she released him. "See, when Herc and Iolaus first met they didn't like each other. But Chiron taught them the value of being a team. Hercules was the finger and Iolaus was the thumb. You need to be Ani's thumb."

"All right." Obi-Wan agreed as he bent to pick up his dropped bag. His stomach twisted nervously inside him and he worried what would happen when they saw each other. It had been so long. Would Anakin still be angry over getting burned so terribly? The image had haunted him all these years but if what Aphrodite said was true, could this be the opportunity to put it to rest? Could they really fix their broken friendship? Was it even possible? Truthfully, he was tired of living in the desert by himself and could do with a change of scenery. But could he really accept Anakin as a father and husband? He supposed he could…

Not really knowing what to expect, Obi-Wan held out his hand to the Goddess of Love. Her hand closed around his and then Tatooine vanished.

To be continued…

Author's Note: Chiron is the centaur headmaster of the Academy that Hercules and Iolaus attended in "Young Hercules". It is NOT the boatman on the River Styx, although it's pronounced the same way.

Disclaimer: Hercules and Iolaus are not mine. They belong to Renaissance Pictures and Studios USA.


	7. Obi And Ani

Wish 7

Author's Note: I'm going to try and finish all the unfinished Star Wars and Harry Potter stories that are hanging around and I have decided to start with this one. It may go a bit slow though, so please be patient. I'll probably still write more SW oneshots, especially Luke/Vader fics that are always popular.

Not really knowing what to expect, Obi-Wan held out his hand to the Goddess of Love. Her hand closed around his and then Tatooine vanished. The next instant the startled Jedi found himself standing out in the open reaches of outer space with only a thin, insubstantial ribbon of glistening silver beneath his old and worn sand-covered boots. Panic squeezed his heart; a very un-Jedi like reaction, but who could blame him? Without a ship or protective spacesuit, space was deadly. Every blood vessel in your body would explode instantly as the air was sucked from your lungs, your body frozen solid as space was very, very cold. A second passed and then another, yet Obi-Wan found himself still alive and well. His heart returned to its normal rate as he realized that although this place looked like space it must be something else. The Jedi had thought they knew everything in their vast library of knowledge but he already knew they had been wrong. They hadn't known of clones or the water-soaked world that made them. And they certainly hadn't known of gods or this place.

Stars and planets whipped by at incredible speeds, yet no wind tugged at his hair or robes. The planets' colors against the absolute blackness of space were amazing. The pathway beneath him glowed with a milky iridescence, like a pearl. Every so often an arched doorway supported by carved pillars appeared and the glowing ribbon wound through these doorways before continuing on. The pillars had an ancient appearance to them and the Jedi pondered for a moment how old they were. "Where exactly are we?"

"This is the Celestial Highway that all true gods use to travel. It allows us to appear anywhere we wish in the entire galaxy within seconds. We normally don't allow mortals access but do sometimes make exceptions in special cases." Aphrodite explained matter-of-factly. "It's a different plane of existence actually. Mortals live on the prime material plane and we live here. Our home is on Olympus, of course."

Obi-Wan rubbed his chin in thought, his blue eyes locked on the Goddess that stood just in front of him. Now that he knew he wasn't going to die from exposure, he instantly dismissed the odd surroundings. What was important, however, was the fact that a goddess had taken an interest in his run-away Padawan turned Sith Lord. The last time someone had taken in interest in Anakin it had been for the worst. Palpatine had twisted the boy and lied to him. In the end it had led him straight to the Dark Side and the extinction of the Jedi. There had been other Sith Lords in history and no one had ever stepped forward before, so why now? "Why are you doing this? If Anakin is truly your brother, why didn't you help him when he was a child? Why didn't you prevent his mother's murder by the Sandpeople?"

"Zeus had a protection order on Watto's house; the house Anakin's mother lived in as a slave. As long as she stayed there she was safe from all harm. But we can't be everywhere and watch everyone around the clock. We have an entire galaxy to run you know…" Aphrodite turned to him with sad eyes. "We're overworked the way it is. There are only so many of us and most of us are multi-tasking. So the sooner Ani can take up his job…"

Alarm bells sounded in Obi-Wan's head. "Job? What job? Anakin isn't fit for any job!"

"Well, he _is_ supposed to become a full god later, but that's not important at the moment. The thing is Ar messed up my best couple of the century and I want them back together! They're sooooo cute together, don't you think?" Squealing with glee, Aphrodite bounced excitedly on her pink heels. "Who cares about old stuffy warlords and their stinky old armor anyway? Love is so much better!"

"Love is what started this mess!" Obi responded, arms crossed over his chest. "If Anakin hadn't fallen in love with Senator Amidala then none of this would have happened. Palpatine wouldn't have been able to dig his evil claws into the boy or if he did, he would have had much less leverage. But what did he do for love? He destroyed the entire Jedi Order! He killed Younglings, mere children!"

"Well, don't think that's my fault!" Aphrodite protested. "I have nothing to do with that warlord stuff. That's my brother, Ares, Ar for short. He likes that sort of thing. I just get people together so they can be happy. Normally Ares and me get along just fine, but sometimes his stupid wars break up my happy couples. He thinks I'm just going to sit by mutely and let it happen. Well, not this time! I got a favor from Zeus himself this time. And before you say anything, there's nothing wrong with love. Love is a many splendid thing and it's what makes the galaxy go 'round. You'd know that if you weren't such a … a … stuffy Jedi!"

"Well, at least I am a proper Jedi."

"Still, you're not bad looking…" Aphrodite bit a pink fingernail as she studied him with appraising eyes. "I suppose I could help you out…"

"NO!" Obi-Wan gulped, blue eyes wide with horror at the thought of the Goddess messing up his life even worst than what it was. "My life is already in shambles because of this love nonsense! And just because Anakin has a new body doesn't mean he's cured of the Dark Side. That's a bunch of rubbish."

The next moment the glowing pathway came to an end and the Jedi passed through a final pillared doorway; then he found himself standing in Bail Organa's home in a tastefully decorated foyer. He had forgotten about his nervousness about seeing Anakin, but now it was back full force. And what he had told the Love Goddess was true; once a Sith always a Sith. Still, he hadn't sensed any evil or maliciousness around the powerful blonde woman. Most likely she meant well but had no experience with true evil. And if anything was evil it was the Sith. More than likely she had just made Anakin, no Vader, more powerful by healing him of his injuries. He already had the galaxy at his knees with a robotic body; what would he do with a real one?

Worst, now he had his children as well and the galaxy had lost their last hope for peace and righteousness. So much had been riding on Luke and Leia's young shoulders. Now it had been for nothing, ruined.

Still, he _had_ promised to support Anakin. It was all very confusing and he didn't know what he should do. There hadn't been time for him to contact Master Yoda, to ask for advice… Was love really wrong, as the Council had taught? And could Anakin _really_ be back from the Dark Side? It just seemed too fantastic to believe…

But Aphrodite was a real goddess and she could do miracles.

"Relax!" Aphrodite cooed at him, her eyes glowing happily. "Ani will be happy to see you!"

That was easy for her to say. The last time he had seen Anakin he had almost been killed. Then a voice floated to him from the next room. It was a child's voice and was full of skepticism.

"Well, having a lightsaber doesn't make you a Jedi, although it did impress me at first. I'm sure you have _him_ convinced, but then he doesn't appear to be very bright, does he?"

"Hey!" Another childish voice cried out, insulted. "I am too bright! What do you know anyway? You're just a dumb _girl_! And father _is_ a Jedi! Only Jedi have laser swords and he said he killed monsters with it!"

Curious, Obi-Wan stepped into the doorway to watch the domestic scene.

Anakin sat at a table in a cozy breakfast nook, young Luke sitting on his lap. The eight-year-old boy was glaring at his twin sister, Leia, in a heated disagreement about Jedi. Obi-Wan knew the plan was for Bail to tell Leia about Jedi when she grew slightly older but they had wanted her to have a normal childhood as well. Growing up as a Princess on Alderaan, she had been spared the hardships Luke had suffered on his Uncle's moisture farm. Yet the moisture farm had been the best place for the infant boy to grow up as Anakin loathed his homeworld with a passion. Seeing the two together was a sight indeed; they were twins yet so very different.

Even more hard to believe was the fact that Padme Amidala was sitting next to her husband, her head resting on Anakin's shoulder. A light smile graced her face at her children's little dispute. She looked real and solid, not ghost like in any way. Yet Obi-Wan had seen her die right before his very eyes.

But what really drew his eyes was Anakin himself. Bail had been right in his description of the young man. Not the slightest burn marred him in any way; it was if that horrible day on Mustafar had been erased and had never happened. Anakin's dark brown hair was full and wavy, the thick locks falling onto his shoulders – yet the older Jedi knew he shouldn't have any hair at all. The black Vader outfit was gone, replaced by his usual dark brown Jedi robes. And where Anakin's hands clasped together around Luke's waist, well, he could see he had _two_ flesh and blood hands. At least one should be a prosthetic; the one chopped off by Count Dooku. Yet it was real.

He felt Anakin's gaze land on him, his look as intense as always. And it most definitely _was_ Anakin, not a clone copy. That had apparently not occurred to Bail, but it had to him. Hesitantly and unsure of himself, Obi-Wan reached out with the Force to his former Padawan. A part of their old training bond was still intact; something which surprised the older Jedi. He had presumed it would have been entirely destroyed when Anakin had become a Sith; either that or it had been restored when his body had been. Yet it was still there and he probed along that route. At the moment Anakin was switching between gloominess and happiness, as unpredictable as always. Darkness still hung about him, but Obi-Wan was uncertain if he was still a Sith. Truthfully, Obi-Wan didn't have enough information. His logical mind said that breaking free of the Sith was impossible, but his heart hoped that it could be. He didn't want to face Anakin in another fight; he just couldn't. The first one had broken the heart he wasn't supposed to have. The Council said Jedi weren't supposed to form attachments, but he had grown attached to the boy anyway. It was just one if his many failings and he had failed Anakin many times. In the long years he had spent on Tatooine watching over Luke from a distance, he had nothing else to do but to think.

Princess Leia, unheedful of the new guest that lingered in the doorway, continued her conversation with her twin brother. "Monsters? Don't tell me you still believe in monsters? That is _so_ childish! It is _also_ politically incorrect! Why, you could start a dreadful _incident_ using that word! You should use the word _alien_ for no doubt that's what these beings are."

Luke scrunched his face up, horrified at what she just said. "You sound like a horrible droid! Even the awful girls in my class don't talk like that!"

"Well, where are you from?" Leia asked him politely, her brown eyes scanning him up and down once again. She had already started learning about the many worlds in the Empire but she hadn't covered all of them. That would be impossible. Besides, she was just eight-years-old and learning _all_ the worlds would surely take until she was ten or perhaps eleven.

"Tatooine. But I didn't like it there." He honestly replied. "It was nothing but blowing sand and my Uncle yelled at me a lot."

"Well, I never heard of it." Leia replied as she boldly stared him down. "And there's nothing wrong with how I talk. I told you, I'm studying to be a Senator. I doubt if you even know what that is."

"I do too!" Luke cried loudly. "Everyone knows what that is!"

"Then _tell_ me what it is." She retorted, hands on hips.

"Uhhh, a Senator is a … Senator!" Luke blurted, red faced. Why did he need a sister for anyway? And why did it have to be this one? Surely some other girl, one quieter, would do just fine. Why couldn't she go play with her dolls, isn't that what girls do? According to commercials on holovision it's what they did. They brushed fake hair and put outfits on the things… it was a total waste of time!

"Just as I suspected…" Leia said as she spun on her heel neatly to turn her back on Luke, her long brown braid twirling outward. A little gasp of surprise escaped her lips when she saw Obi-Wan standing in the doorway watching them, Aunt Dite hovering somewhat behind him studying her pink fingernails.

Just then her father's office door opened and Bail Organa emerged. Spotting the newcomer, a happy look of relief spread across his face. Wasting no time, Bail headed towards the Jedi and shook his hand. "Master Kenobi! My, you certainly got here quickly!"

"Yes, well, I had a bit of help in that regard." Obi-Wan admitted, a light smile appearing on his face. The smile helped cover his nervousness and being in the same room with Anakin was making him very nervous indeed.

"I don't know what to do…" Bail admitted in a whisper, a hint of fear creeping into his voice. "You will handle it, won't you? I'm afraid he'll want to take Leia away from me. It's clear he knows she's his daughter. Worst, she's been having Force-visions."

"This situation is bizarre to say the least." Obi-Wan sighed, remembering his recent trip on the Celestial Highway.

"Leia, come here." Bail called firmly, eager to get his daughter away from the possibly dangerous young man. Still, he didn't want to insult Anakin … Lord Vader, in anyway, either. That would be just as bad. Because it truly didn't matter what name he went by or how he looked, he was still Lord Vader. And Vader was still the right hand to the Emperor and could command a fleet of ships and millions of stormtroopers. He could snatch Leia away just as easily as wiggling his finger and he would be powerless to stop him. Nor did Bail think for one minute Anakin would be satisfied to go hide on some backwater planet and live the life of a fugitive. During the Clone Wars Anakin always enjoyed being in the middle of the action. He would grow bored quickly and would seek out his old life as Lord Vader. That and Vader had credits, lots of credits. After having all that wealth whom would want to give it up? No, the frugal life of a Jedi never suited Anakin very well. The outfit he had chosen for himself, the tabards crafted from fine leather, said that very well.

Princess Leia wasted no time moving over to Bail's side, her curious brown eyes on the new visitor. He had a bit of a haggard appearance and his brown robe looked somewhat faded from the sun. Still, his hair was trimmed neatly and his blue eyes had a sparkle to them. He bowed politely to her; a little bow from the waist and it spoke volumes about his past association with the Senate and the Court. It was obvious to her at once that Aunt Dite must have brought him from somewhere, but why? Was he supposed to be another one of her newly discovered relatives? She wasn't even sure how she felt yet about her 'parents', if that's who they truly were. Although some_thing_ inside her knew the truth, that they were her parents, they were still total strangers to her and she didn't feel like rushing off with them somewhere.

"Leia, I want you to meet a good friend of mine, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi." Bail said, a nervous smile on his face. "He's a Jedi Master."

"_Another_ Jedi?" Leia's brown eyes grew wide, surprised at her father's words. She knew her father, that is Bail, wasn't given to flights of fancy or believing in superstitious nonsense. Did that mean Jedi really _did_ exist? But before she could say anything else her new mother came running up to the newcomer, one hand dragging her new father along.

"It's good to see you again, Master Kenobi." Padme said as she stopped a short distance away, her dark eyes darting between Obi-Wan and Anakin. "We're both happy to see you, aren't we, Anakin?"

Anakin blinked his eyes at his former master. "I am happy to see you, Obi-Wan, although you probably don't believe me. And I am grateful you kept Luke safe all these years. You were the one that took him to Tatooine, weren't you?"

"I had no choice, Anakin. You must understand that." Obi-Wan replied nervously, unsure how he would react to the news that he had practically kidnapped his infant son. At the moment Anakin seemed to be grateful or so he said. But Sith found it easy to lie and lie in such a way it sounded like the truth. "I did what I thought was best. You were not thinking clearly at the time."

The younger Jedi bowed his head, acknowledging that Obi-Wan was right. "I don't know what came over me. I feared Padme would die and I … I couldn't take that risk. I had sought council from Master Yoda but his words weren't comforting. I didn't know what else to do and then Palpatine told me about the Sith. I walked right into his trap and there was no way out, until now."

Obi-Wan, of course, knew the entire story and how Anakin had been carefully led right into the trap no one had seen coming until it was far too late. Still, not the entire fault lie at Palpatine's feet; some of it lay squarely on Anakin's shoulders for not using common sense. He should have realized part of his anxiety was about becoming a father for the first time; something that made the strongest men nervous. His wife would no longer be just his; he'd have to share her with a new infant. And Anakin's situation was anything but normal: a secret forbidden marriage in a time of war. It was a recipe for disaster.

Anakin raised his head and stared into Obi-Wan's blue eyes. "Are you angry with me? I have no excuse for my behavior, especially not on Mustafar…"

"I am disappointed in myself." Obi-Wan finally admitted. "I shouldn't have allowed the Council to assign you your own mission. You weren't ready to go out on your own yet and I knew it, yet I allowed them to override my word. But I wish you would have trusted me with your secret, that you were married."

"Well, I'm still married." Anakin raised his chin and wrapped an arm around Padme's shoulder, drawing her close for comfort. He knew Obi-Wan had every right to be angry with him, so it was perplexing to see his old Master sad and depressed instead. And why did Obi-Wan think it was his fault? He was eager to get his own assignments and was chafing under the bit of being a Padawan. "And have your views on marriage changed these past few years?"

The unexpected question surprised Obi-Wan as it was the last thing he expected his former student to ask. "I cannot say."

"So you still can't speak to women if it's not in an official Jedi capacity?" Anakin asked innocently. If was no secret that the older Jedi loathed social functions because of the forced politeness and dancing, yes, Obi-Wan hated dancing. He never knew quite what to say to a female if it didn't relate to his Jedi duties; something Anakin never had any trouble with. "Although I suppose you had little opportunity to meet women on Tatooine."

"Anakin, you are avoiding the issue. You are a Sith and now you have placed both your children in jeopardy!" Obi-Wan was still torn about the Sith issue. Anger and hate made a Jedi into Sith, but those could also become habits. Could Anakin really break those habits, habits he had for years? "Do you really think Palpatine is just going to let you go, forget about you? I hid your son for a reason. He was safe on Tatooine and I was watching over him from a distance. He didn't know they had survived. Now he will and he'll see them as a threat to his power. Is that what you want?"

Padme's dark eyes filled with fear at the mention of Palpatine harming her children. She had been just so happy to see them, to hold Luke in her arms and to meet Leia for the first time, she hadn't really thought of Palpatine at all. And now their selfishness might get their children killed! "What can we do, Master Kenobi?"

"Am I a Sith still?" Anakin asked, doubt in his mind. "It all happened so fast. It's like a whirlwind out of the desert. One minute I was in my quarters on _Executor_ and then suddenly I was a father, cured of my injuries and on my way to the Underworld to get Padme back."

"I don't know, Anakin. These events defy all logic and known history of the Order!" Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at Aphrodite, for it was she who created this mess in the first place. "Goddesses are not supposed to pop out of thin air and disrupt our lives like this. If you can control your temper and not reach for anger when you use the Force, then yes, you may be a Jedi once again. But it won't be an easy path. Anger and hatred has become a habit by now and I never heard of anyone who made it back before."

"But I am the Chosen One, am I not?" Anakin asked boldly, almost defying his old master once more. "I have done things that no Jedi has ever done before, so why can't I come back from the Dark Side? Besides, I have a Goddess on my side. Surely she cured me of the Dark Side, has she not?"

Anakin bent down and picked up a wide-eyed Luke, holding him once more in his arms. "Seeing my son has given me joy I haven't felt for ages. I would like to share that with you. You have always been the father and brother I never had, Obi-Wan. But there is more to life than the solitary existence of the Jedi, of simply following rules and obeying orders. Being raised in the crèche you don't know this, but family life is not some horror. It's a blessing, when it goes right. Help me raise my children and keep me from straying back to the Dark Side."

Arms still crossed over his chest, Obi-Wan sighed. He had no choice really. Someone had to keep an eye on Anakin. He certainly couldn't allow him to run about freely without supervision; especially not now that he had his children. And he had so much power. That hadn't changed. Still, Obi-Wan had to admit change was inevitable. The Order was gone and dead, the Temple destroyed. The life as he had known wasn't going to come back even with a Goddess's help. And he was so tired of living by himself in the desert staring moodily down at the ruins of the Sandpeople village, of practicing the lessons Master Yoda had given him before they parted. Life in the Temple had been austere but at least there had been people around, news from a thousand worlds and research to do. Obi-Wan had always enjoyed researching things in the huge library, carefully assembling clues and following where they led him. But there had been none of that on Tatooine and even the moisture farmers had avoided him as if he carried some dreadful disease. "Very well, Anakin. I accept your offer. Truthfully, I missed you over the long years we've been apart."

"You … you missed me?" Anakin asked, blinking his eyes rapidly as a thin layer of liquid built up on their surface. He had been so convinced that the older Jedi had hated him all these years and now to learn the exact opposite was shocking.

"Of course I missed you. Why wouldn't I?" Obi-Wan replied, their bond telling him the younger man's emotions were once again rapidly growing out of control. The truth was, Anakin had never learned to control them. Perhaps controlling them wasn't something he was able to do; no matter how skilled with the Force he was. "We've been together all those years, through countless life and death situations. We were a team. So yes, I missed you."

"But surely proper Jedi don't have feelings, Obi-Wan." Anakin stated, his voice sounding slightly odd as he tried to reign in his freewheeling emotions. The last thing he wanted to do was end up crying on Obi-Wan's shoulder like a young child. He could feel his throat tightening against his will, his vision growing slightly blurry. He knew for his old master to admit such a thing as missing him, it was a revelation. The older Jedi had always hid his feelings on Anakin and their bond had never deepened as other Padawan/Masters bonds had. He never really knew what Obi-Wan thought of things in his mind as he kept it hidden, even from the bond. "Missing me suggests attachment, doesn't it?"

"Of course I was attached to you, Anakin! I just hid it better." Obi-Wan admitted, slightly red-faced. The truth was, he had his own failings. He had never felt like a true Jedi, not inside his mind. He had doubts of his own ability and because of that he remained silent when he should have spoke up. At least once this had almost caused them to get killed while on a training mission. He also remained silent when he should have praised Anakin for a gob well done, but the time never seemed right to him and then it was too late to praise him. This in turn caused Anakin to grow annoyed and restless, falsely thinking nothing he did was ever good enough for Obi-Wan. "So I never was the perfect Jedi, either. I … I don't ever want us to fight again. It broke my heart the last time…"

Handing Luke over to Padme, Anakin rushed at Obi-Wan and threw himself into the older man's arms where they cried noisily on each other's shoulder.

Princess Leia watched the two sobbing men for a moment from where she stood next to her father, Bail. It was clear to her the two had a fight in the past and now had forgiven each other. She rolled her brown eyes, embarrassed at the scene. _Jedi! No wonder they're the stars of holodramas!_

Luke was wide-eyed, confused by all the talk of Sith. And who was Palpatine? There had been talk of danger and Luke knew what that was. But Padme's perfume was working its way up into his nostrils and he couldn't concentrate on what he had heard the adults talking about. He had to find out what a Sith was and why his father was a Sith and not a Jedi… or was it the same thing? His father seemed to have a bunch of names, because when he first met him he had been Lord Vader. The word 'lord' didn't mean anything to Luke and he just presumed it was a first name, for moisture farmers didn't deal with royalty. And although Jedi were in holodramas, the Sith never were; other types of villains were used instead.

Squirming, Luke got free of Padme's arms and slowly walked over to the two men who were now wiping at their wet eyes. Both looked embarrassed about the whole incident, but the question was burning on Luke's tongue. Reaching for Anakin's leather tabards, he yanked on it to get his attention. "What's a Sith?"

Surprise flickered across Anakin's face, for he had forgotten that both of his children had overheard the entire conversation. How was he supposed to explain to his son that he had been an evil monster for many years? Worry started nipping at his mind, worry that if he told Luke the truth that the boy he just met might grow to fear him. And he didn't want to loose him now that he just got him. That would be unbearable.

Obi-Wan knelt down in front of Luke, a serious expression on his face. "Sith are like Jedi in many ways. They have the same magical powers, like you see on holodramas. Jedi use their powers for good, to help people. The Jedi is at peace when he uses his powers. Sith, however, use anger and fear. It is a very bad thing to become a Sith."

Luke digested this for a few minutes, realizing Sith were obviously some type of villain. But his father couldn't be a villain, could he? Of course not! His Uncle had told him that Anakin Skywalker had been a pilot and how could a pilot be bad? They just flew ships here or there. There wasn't anything bad about that at all. Plus he was a Jedi, too! A Jedi pilot, surely that was better than a regular pilot! But then Luke's face darkened slightly. If his father was so honest and good, why did he have two names? Good people didn't have two names, did they? "You're not a Sith, are you?"

"I …" Anakin started, his voice faltering. Fear was crawling around in his brain again and he knew in his heart it could lead him straight back to the Dark Side. Would it always be this hard? Couldn't he even answer a child's simple question without running into problems?

"Because when I first met you, you were helpful." Luke continued, speaking truthfully. "You weren't angry that I was … wherever that was, that white room. If Sith are bad guys, surely they'd be in a hideout, like living with rats in a dirty alley or a house with broken windows…"

Obi-Wan smiled at the boy's simple ways of thinking. "I'm afraid real Sith don't live that way, Luke."

"And who's this Pal-whatever? Is he a Sith, too?"

"Palpatine is the Emperor." Princess Leia replied, her brown eyes on her twin and a frown on her lips. She really didn't think anyone could be that dense. Luke had just reached an all-time low on her mental chart. "_Everyone_ knows that! How can you not know who the Emperor is? He rules the Empire. You _have_ heard of the Empire, haven't you?"

"Of course I did!" Luke exclaimed hotly, feeling insulted. He wasn't _that_ stupid! "They have cool fighter ships and when I grow up I'm going to fly one!"

_So typical_ Leia thought. "And I suppose you never heard of Lord Vader, either."

A light bulb went off in Luke's head and he grew excited. Eagerly he pointed a finger at Anakin. "That's Lord Vader. He's my father!"

Leia, however, seemed annoyed. "Don't be ridiculous! That's not Lord Vader! Everyone knows Lord Vader! And if you think that's him, that I'm a Wookie!"

Luke grew puzzled. "What's a Wookie?"

"Really," Leia huffed with hands on her hips. "What rock did you crawl out from underneath? You have best start learning these things less you embarrass me in a public situation! And I suggest you have your eyes checked, because that is _not_ Lord Vader. Now if you excuse me, I am _dreadfully_ late for school!"

Luke watched her pick up a padd off the table and head for the door. When she had just about reached it, then Luke remembered she had just insulted him. He needed a good retort to shout back at her, less she start bossing him around for the rest of his life. "Is too!"

Leia rolled her eyes, annoyed. Her new brother was not only an idiot but a liar as well! Oh, she just _knew_ he was going to ruin her spotless reputation at school, the one she had worked so hard to achieve. She studied hard, got perfect grades, had perfect attendance, did extra credit, read extra things on her own and now _he_ showed up from who-knows-where! If he went around claiming the young man who was their new father was Lord Vader, why, everyone would say he was _insane_! And that … that … it was unthinkable! An inspiring Senator couldn't have a crazy twin brother, no! Before he could think up more fanciful stories from his twisted brain, she fled out the door and down the path towards the nearby school building.

"I think we'll have a lot of explaining to do…" Obi-Wan stated dryly, although it had been slightly humorous watching the two argue as to whether or not Anakin was Lord Vader. And although he was indeed Lord Vader, Leia apparently had won. Still, they had more serious things to discuss and the older Jedi turned his mind to that. "Now what are we going to do about Palpatine. I'm sure he can feel the change in you all the way from Coruscant and he'll be on his way here if he isn't already."

Anakin knew that was indeed true. When he had been in danger last time, on Mustafar, Palpatine had sensed it and had showed up quickly. "What should we do? Anywhere we go he'll probably just track me down…"

"Perhaps we need a bit of divine intervention." Obi-Wan shifted his gaze from Anakin onto Aphrodite. Bowing to her, he spoke politely. "My Lady, if you wish your happy couple to stay together, then I suggest you do something about Palpatine."

The Goddess of Love squealed with excitement, her entire face brightening at the idea. If there was anything she loved doing, it was practicing her trade and casting spells. Emperor Palpatine would be in for the biggest shock of his life.

To be continued…


	8. Palpatine

Wish 8

Author's Note: Here is another new chapter of this story. I've been writing Star Wars fics again and decided I will work on this story once more. Maybe I can actually finish it this time, if my muse cooperates. I'm uncertain if the little bits with the Living Force & Unifying Force is correct – I think it is and if not, do excuse my mistakes (it's not really essential to the storyline anyway really).

Emperor Palpatine was not one who often grew surprised, blessed with the gift of foresight as he was. The older Sith Master spent many hours deep in meditation, examining all possible future events for things that might concern him or his Empire. Although he knew of certain events that would transpire decades in the far future, things were running smoothly and he noted nothing of real importance to concern him with. So when the first odd feelings leaked to him from Lord Vader he was very startled indeed, his reddish eyes growing wide and filled with concern.

His connection with Lord Vader was always active in the back of his mind, his young apprentice's dark moods being a constant companion day and night. That connection was something that the Sith Master prided himself on, for he knew that he was much closer to Vader than Master Kenobi had ever been. Vader was his best apprentice ever, far more powerful than either Dooku or Maul; the result of many years of careful coaching and friendly advice. Ever since he had laid eyes on the young boy all those years ago he had known of the boy's immense powers and glorious future, but Vader still needed a watchful eye less he run amok. Still, he had proved himself more than worthy but Palpatine knew occasional mood swings were still possible at this late date. Even in the Order, Anakin Skywalker had been known for rash actions and unpredictable emotions.

But these emotions coming from his loyal apprentice, this was far beyond some little hiccup caused by on the job stress or the dark pleasure of striking down an enemy in cold fury. Palpatine rose smoothly from his throne chair where he had been sitting in meditation, one claw-like hand gripping his queasy stomach. The intense feelings of joy and happiness were actually making him feel ill and nauseous. What in the galaxy could cause Lord Vader to feel so many positive emotions, emotions he hadn't felt for ages? With his wife dead and the Jedi extinct, he had been sure the young man would be his loyal servant forever.

"I have not seen this coming…" Palpatine spoke aloud to the empty, cavernous throne room as he slowly descended the stairs carefully. His black Jedi-like robe trailed on the steps behind him and he gripped his cane tightly in one hand. "What could cause such a welling up of warm emotions?"

He needed to go to Lord Vader immediately to ensure that no permanent damage was done. With all the other Jedi dead he could not afford to lose his apprentice now. Reaching out with his mind, he tried to sense what was going on with the younger man but it was pure chaos. Worst, his feelings were seesawing wildly, going from extreme joy to darkest self-doubt. Had he run across an old friend from his childhood on Tatooine, someone that had meant a great deal to him? He had not felt this much emotion from Anakin since he had been a Jedi in love with Padme Amidala and engaged in an illicit love affair, illicit to the Jedi Order that is.

Stepping off the last step and onto the highly polished floor, Palpatine waved to his Imperial Red Guards and they fell into step behind him. Climbing into the lift, they quickly descended to his waiting ship. Reaching out to ascertain Lord Vader's current location, he was stunned to know that he was on the planet of Alderaan instead of on _Executor_. How had he gotten there? If memory served correct, _Executor_ was nowhere even near that system. Reaching out through the myriad star systems in the galaxy, the Sith Master easily verified that it was so. Palpatine's mental Force powers were truly immense and if need be he could easily control the entire fleet with just his thoughts, easily ensuring that the Empire could win any battle. Still, such a feat would tax him greatly and he needn't do it except in a dire emergency.

"So, Lord Vader is acting on his own once more…" Palpatine stated as he climbed onto the ramp of the waiting ship, a frown on his badly wrinkled face. Something important had happened, but what it was he couldn't say. As powerful as he was he couldn't know everything or actually see events happening on a planet far away. Had Vader chased a renegade Jedi there, someone from his past? It was well known that a few Jedi were still at large somewhere, Masters Yoda and Kenobi amongst them. Perhaps the chase had involved an Imperial Shuttle? Although Palpatine tried to envision different scenarios of this possibility, it still made little sense. Why chase outlaws in an Imperial Shuttle when he had _Executor_ at his disposal?

Still, Palpatine was not totally worried of losing his apprentice. He knew that Lord Vader believed in the Empire and what it was accomplishing. Moving to a chair, he carefully lowered himself into it as his many Imperial Red Guards joining him on the ship as was only proper. Instructing them where he wished to go, Palpatine leaned back in the plush chair and closed his eyes to further concentrate on the gossamer link with the younger man.

Happiness. Nervousness. Self-doubt. Worry. Love. Raw desire. Passion. Protectiveness. Jealousy. Fear. Joy. Relief. Acceptance.

All those emotions and more flooded through the link and into Palpatine's mind, the warmer alien feelings twisting his stomach. It was all so very familiar, as if Lord Vader had somehow progressed backward and still believed he was Anakin Skywalker. Had he suffered some brain injury and had forgotten the past several years? No, that surely was impossible! If he had suffered such a great knock to the head Palpatine was sure he himself would have felt the painful knock as well. Unlike the young man's former master, he carefully tended his apprentice's well being. He knew all too well that Anakin had been in great misery and Master Kenobi had been totally clueless, proof that he had never been a proper master to the boy no matter what the Jedi had believed.

Relaxing his body, Palpatine blocked the outside world so he could deepen his connection. The thrum of the ship's engines faded, the hiss of the ventilation system vanished and the soft breathing of the others in the cabin disappeared. His sense of the chair cradling his weight went next and even his own heartbeat, as all of his senses concentrated on the impossibly thin silver thread that streaked outward through space towards his apprentice. Slowly the thread seemed to thicken by fractions and he could sense the wild feelings more strongly and clearly. Lord Vader's thoughts were scrambled, names and faces from the past in the forefront of his mind. Padme, Obi-Wan, Senator Organa…

Why was Lord Vader thinking of his dead wife and feeling joy? Thoughts of her should cause despair, loneliness, and regret. Palpatine knew he thought of her often still, the dark feelings keeping him firmly on the Dark Side. He also hated himself for causing her death, for losing control so greatly that he had killed his own true love in a fit of rage. It was amazing how quickly passions could flare, causing love to turn into hate.

The ghost-like presence of another flickered for a microsecond, there and then gone. It had been so quick that Palpatine might have thought he had imagined it had it not possessed a slightly familiar feel to it. Was there another in his bond with Lord Vader? Who would be so bold as to bond with a Sith? Then Palpatine realized the answer in a flash of understanding, a wicked grin spreading across his wrinkled face. "So my faithful apprentice has tracked down Master Kenobi…"

Kenobi was no doubt trying to bargain for his life, reminding the younger man of their past friendship. He had even felt Kenobi's weak bond with his apprentice flare to life momentarily. It was a very stupid thing for a Jedi to do, bond with a Sith. The Sith Master easily imagined Lord Vader backing Kenobi up against a wall where he could finish him off or take him prisoner.

Then doubt flickered across Palpatine's mind and the elderly man frowned. No, that couldn't be correct, as it didn't explain all of the warm feelings Vader was experiencing. He may feel momentary joy at seeing his old master but that would soon darken as he remembered Mustafar. Joy would turn to hate once more as he remembered his crippled body, his wife's death and the pain he was forced to live with. And what of the passion and raw desire he had felt? Surely he could not feel that for Kenobi? No, something else was going on and whatever it was Kenobi was involved in it.

"Drat! Those darn Jedi are trying to steal my apprentice back to the Light Side of the Force! They have cooked up some scheme and now have put it into motion!" Inky darkness gathered thicker around the Sith Master as he sunk a bit further into the warmth of his black cowl, his eyes glowing a fierce fiery red. They had been a constant thorn in his side for too long and he had thought they were gone for good, with smooth sailing ahead. Jedi were weak and hardly ever made bold moves like this. It was unlike them, as Jedi only tried to murder Sith and not cure them. What had possessed Kenobi to act in such a way, to be so foolhardy?

Palpatine didn't know, for as hard as he tried to gather more information through his apprentice, he couldn't get anything concrete. Vader's thoughts were too chaotic and made no sense whatsoever. The Sith Master laid his hand on the lightsaber handle hidden within his clothing and smiled weakly. No matter what awaited him on Alderaan he would be ready. He could not afford to give up his apprentice now.

000

Familiar darkness touched Anakin's soul and the young man frowned. His Master was approaching and he could feel the elderly man's concern for him all the way from Coruscant. His gaze shifted to Obi-Wan and the corner of his mouth turned down ever so slightly. Why hadn't Obi-Wan ever properly bonded with him, as Palpatine had done? It seemed very odd indeed that the Sith showed more compassion than a Jedi. Still, doubt at what Palpatine would do upon his arrival chewed at his gut, sending his emotions downward once more. "Palpatine is on his way and draws nearer every minute. He'll be here very soon…"

"Oh Ani, what will we do?" Padme cried as she moved closer to her husband, clinging tightly to his arm. A veteran of many battles, Padme wasn't afraid to fight or to kill in self-defense, but a Sith Master was a whole different story. Even Master Yoda couldn't defeat him in a fight! Fear that the evil old man might kill her children bloomed brightly in her mind and she quickly snatched Luke up into her arms, holding him tightly. "Should we run for it or can we really depend on the Goddess to protect us?"

"Running is for cowards. I'd rather face my Master then run from him…" Anakin replied, growing slightly confused, as he looked to Obi-Wan for guidance. "Is Palpatine still my Master? I can still feel the bond with him, feel his concern for me…"

"Anakin, Palpatine is a Sith!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, annoyed. "He doesn't worry or feel concerned about anyone! You should know that better than anyone! If you want to truly free yourself from the Dark Side, then you must stop obeying his orders. He's an evil old man who has tricked you and he'd gladly do that again. You know that. He's after your power and he has used it these many long years to oppress innocent people."

"But I _do_ feel his concern. I feel it more clearly now with him parsecs away than I ever felt yours." Anakin admitted as he moved closer to the Jedi, his blue eyes blazing steadily and unblinking. "Why is that, Obi-Wan? Why did you always hide yourself from me? I remember the countless times I envied the other Padawans and the close bonds they had with their Masters. That should have been mine, too, but you always withheld yourself and never formed a proper bond with me…"

"I …" Obi-Wan gulped and started backing away, nervous. To his dismay, Anakin followed him until he was backed up against a wall of the cozy room and they were mere inches apart. Although Anakin had often obeyed him in the past, the Jedi had doubts if he would do so now. Part of him was still Lord Vader and Vader was used to giving the orders. He was accustomed to getting what he wanted, troops running to carry out his every wish and whim. Anakin had always been attracted to power and being in the spotlight. Palpatine had given him just that. And even though Obi-Wan had lived out in the middle of nowhere, he still received the news and had heard of Lord Vader's many deeds and conquests on behalf of the Empire. World after world fell under the Empire's control and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Still, he did deserve some sort of answer, yet that required Obi-Wan to admit his faults in a room full of people. There were things he had locked into a closet long ago and had forgotten. The Jedi's eyes darted about the room for a second, hoping for a way to escape. Instead he saw everyone staring at him, waiting for his reply. His gut twisted, an odd feeling and a bead of sweat appeared on his brow. "I … I never was perfect, Anakin. I did the best I could…"

Obi-Wan could feel his former Padawan's gaze drilling into his head, the blue eyes so intense and full of emotion. At least they were blue at the moment, yet Obi-Wan feared they might turn red at any second. He still believed what the Jedi Council had preached all those years ago, that once you joined the Dark Side that it would dominate you forever. Yes, he was overjoyed to be reunited with Anakin but he didn't know how long it would last. Even now he could feel the young man's emotions swinging about wildly, unstable. He was also greatly confused and Obi-Wan didn't fault him for that. He was confused, too, as Aphrodite had made a great mess within a short time.

"You were scared, weren't you?" Anakin asked as he finally solved the mystery. "Scared to share your thoughts and feelings with me…."

"Yes, I was scared!" Obi-Wan blurted, heat rising up into his face despite his best efforts to stop it. "I never felt very confident, all right?"

Surprise filled Anakin. "_You_ weren't confident in yourself or your abilities? You were on the Jedi Council! How could you not be confident?"

"Well, I wasn't. I often struggled over making decisions and frequently I wasn't sure if I should say something or not, so I remained silent… I know I should have praised you more often, Anakin. In truth a great deal of your frustration is actually my fault as it lead you to think you weren't good enough to please me. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's my own weakness that stopped me. I suppose I'm not very good with people really, with social situations beyond polite conversations." Obi-Wan couldn't believe he was actually admitting all of his deep dark secrets to Anakin. Nor was he really sure why he was admitting them. What would his confession change? Anakin would still be a Sith, wouldn't he? It was probably his guilt making him confess, his part of the blame for Anakin's fall. It was doubtless some lame attempt to clean his tarnished soul, not that it would do the thousands of dead Jedi any good.

Anakin stared at his former Master, sensing the truth in the older man's words. He had always known Obi-Wan had problems with women and hated social functions, but he never realized that the shyness had applied to their own relationship as well. The thought had never really occurred to him, either. He had just always assumed that Obi-Wan had never thought him worthy, mainly because he had been an outsider and not brought up in the Jedi crèche. Obi-Wan's shyness was deep-seated in his personality apparently, crippling him in a way that Anakin had never experienced.

But he needed Obi-Wan now more than ever.

"Master…" Anakin started to say, but Obi-Wan cut him off.

"I'm not your Master, Anakin. I haven't been so for many long years." Obi-Wan corrected, still trapped against the wall. He could feel the wall's coolness sinking through his worn and slightly dusty Jedi robes, chilling him after the intense heat of Tatooine. Loathe it as he may, he had grown used to the desert climate and now he felt cold. It was apparently another thing he had in common with Anakin now whether he liked it or not.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin corrected as he placed a hand on the older man's shoulder, feeling the bits of rough sandy grit that had worked its way into the fibers of the Jedi robe. The dry scent of home, of the salt flats and endless desert, still clung to his robes and Anakin breathed the scent in for a long moment, remembering. Shaking the sad feeling off, he remembered his purpose here. "I need you to help me stop slipping back to the Dark Side. I can feel it even now, a chill darkness hovering just behind my shoulder and the endless whispers in my mind. I fear that without you I will fail again whether I want to or not. And now I have what I have always wanted – a family - and I don't want to lose it. Please, Obi-Wan, help me, bond with me properly as you never did before."

"Anakin, I …" Obi-Wan's mouth fell open and the words died in his throat. Although the old training bond was still there, he didn't know if he could do it. He never could manage to give up the bits of himself in the past and he doubted if he could now. It would be too intense, too open. He would lose all privacy, more or less. His mind would be an open book to Anakin and he didn't know if he could survive that. He had been avoiding it for so long, running from it. "I don't know if I can do that…"

"Please, Master Jedi, help him!" Padme pleaded from where she stood nearby, watching. "I don't want to lose him again!"

"But I may be bonding with a Sith…." The words were almost a whisper yet everyone in the room heard them. Anakin himself had admitted to the soft voices that were sounding inside his own mind and the darkness creeping back up from behind. If he were to bond with that, then what would happen to him? Would Anakin drag him to the Dark Side as well if he fell again or would they be strong enough together to resist? Such a thing had never been attempted in the history of the Order so Obi-Wan had no idea. It seemed foolhardy and extremely dangerous though. Hadn't Master Yoda said his duty had been to kill Anakin? He hadn't been able to do that exactly and instead had left him bleeding and badly burned, presuming he would die within moments. Instead Palpatine had rescued him and the galaxy had suffered because of his weakness. Now he had another choice to make, but what was the correct thing to do?

"He's not a Sith any longer." Padme insisted with a firm voice, but Obi-Wan saw a flicker of doubt in her warm brown eyes. "I'm not strong enough to help him by myself, Obi-Wan, he needs _you_."

What should he do? Obi-Wan had never been very good at making decisions and now he had a huge one to make. Was Anakin truly free of the Dark Side, partly free or only pretending he was free? If he joined him now would the galaxy suffer more or less? There was no way to know and Obi-Wan didn't feel confident enough to choose. Why couldn't Master Yoda be here? He only knew he didn't want to sit alone in that hut anymore, but that was being selfish and it would be wrong to base his decision on his own personal wants. No, he was a Jedi and should do what was best for the galaxy. But the Force hadn't shown him any of these events at all in visions, because Aphrodite had interfered.

"Anakin, you need to learn to control your emotions…" Obi-Wan cautiously said, not wanting to upset the younger man. "Even if I _do_ bond with you, in the end it would be your responsibility to control yourself. You grow angry too quickly and that is your true downfall. You need to learn how to let other people's words flow off you like drops of rain instead of flaring up and striking out."

"Yes, I understand." Anakin hung his head for a moment, knowing that his anger was both his greatest weakness and his greatest strength. Even now he recalled the power it gave him, the feeling as the Unifying Force flowed through his body instead of just part of it. The Jedi had always limited themselves to only using the Living Force while the Sith used the entire range of the Force, the Unifying Force. The results were spectacular but it caused one to age rapidly. Still, using the Unifying Force itself was not evil or so Anakin believed. A blaster by itself wasn't evil, either, and could be used for evil or good depending on the user. The young man realized what he had been thinking and an icy chill traveled down his spine. Even now the Dark Side was tempting him and he wasn't angry in the slightest! "But I do need you, Obi-Wan. Even now I'm thinking of it, of the power it gave me. It is like a drug I'm addicted to and I honestly don't know if I can resist it."

Obi-Wan sighed. They were apparently breaking entirely new ground and he had nothing to go by. Reaching out with his mind towards his former Padawan, he sensed Anakin _seemed_ to be telling the truth. But Sith excelled at lying. He also feared he had very little time to decide, as the moments were ticking past and all too soon Palpatine would be arriving. Would Anakin fight the Sith Lord then by his side or not? Would their bond be stronger than the one he shared with the Sith Lord? And even more importantly, how could they break that bond with Palpatine? Once again it was entirely new territory and it made Obi-Wan very nervous. If he weren't careful, he might find himself kneeling before the Sith Master as well. The thought was not comforting.

But could he really do it, bare his soul to another person? Even his bond with Qui-Gon hadn't been that deep. Anakin would then know everything and surely he couldn't allow that, could he? It would put Master Yoda's secret location in danger and other secrets as well.

Or was he just making excuses to avoid it, as he had done all along?

The truth was, the thought terrified him. What if Anakin rejected him once he learned all of his weaknesses and faults; learned whom he really was deep inside? The dark things about his former student should frighten him more, but it was his own insecurities that were his major concern. How he had hid such key personality faults from the Jedi Council he didn't know, but he had done it very well. They had thought him the model of the perfect Jedi.

"Please, Obi-Wan. I know I'm asking a lot, but surely you owe me this?" Anakin asked as he leaned slightly closer, blinking his eyes in a vain attempt to appear innocent. "Besides, there is nothing to fear."

How could he say no and disappoint Padme? He could see the faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. He had failed Anakin once and now his own fears were holding him back. If only he knew that it would end well, but he didn't. But then, he had a Goddess on his side, didn't he? Surely Palpatine didn't have that. He would have to trust in the fates that all would be well this time.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and meditated for a few moments to calm his nerves. It went against all of his training as a Jedi to do this as well as his personal qualms. Opening them, he met Anakin's hopeful gaze. "Very well, Anakin, I'll _try_ to do a proper bond but I never done that before, not even with Qui-Gon. I fear I wasn't exactly his first choice for a Padawan…"

Upon hearing the confession, Anakin's eyes grew sad. He had never contemplated what sort of Master-Padawan relationship Obi-Wan had shared with Qui-Gon. He had always just resumed it had been a close one as the other Master-Padawan pairs he had seen had been. But apparently his assumption had been wrong. How had Obi-Wan had felt, knowing he had been Qui-Gon's second or third choice? Knowing his former Master as he did, he knew it must have been painful.

Anakin also knew the grim fate of Younglings that were never chosen by a Master to become a Padawan: they were sent away to some other planet to do something else, some form of physical labor or so the rumor at the Temple had gone. He himself had never really faced that exact trial, although a similar fate had almost grabbed him. If Obi-Wan hadn't stepped forward to claim him after Qui-Gon's death…

"I love you as both a father and a brother, Obi-Wan, no matter what faults you may be hiding. I'm the one who should fear rejection with my long list of bad deeds…" Anakin told him firmly, trying to reassure him that all would be well. A proper bond with Obi-Wan was something he had desired for a long, long time and maybe he would finally get his wish. But would it be enough to hold off the darkness creeping down his back?

Reaching out with his mind, Anakin followed the trail of their old training bond and entered Obi-Wan's mind. The surface he always had access to and he often used it to learn Jedi abilities at an incredible rate that no other student could match. He just simply observe in Obi-Wan's mind how his Master had done a thing and then he simple repeated it, something the other Jedi apparently didn't understand.

Eagerly he surged deeper, hoping that Obi-Wan would do as he had said and that the mental doors would allow him through. The older Jedi's emotions were coming through loud and clear: nervousness, uncertainty, a bit of worry, the fear of rejection and the dim glow of hope. Sending the older man a warm reassurance, he coaxed him to finally drop the last of his mental barriers.

As Anakin finally entered the deepest recesses of his mind, Obi-Wan was truly startled at the strong sensations of joy and happiness that surged through him. It was a pleasant feeling really and he truly didn't know why he had feared it so much. He was no longer truly alone. And although he could sense Anakin's feelings before, now they would be far more clearer and the bond would even allow mental chitchat if they practiced at it. A deeper, true bond was also stronger and could reach out across great distances, even across space itself. It was what all the other Jedi had had and now it was finally his as well, if extremely late indeed. But could he be the anchor that Anakin desired, to hold off the Dark Side? Only time would tell.

As the initial joy and happiness of the deep, proper bonding faded somewhat; he could feel the dark dread that lingered around Anakin more clearly now. He had never felt the Dark Side so plainly before and his doubts about doing the bond returned, but it was a tad late to worry about it. Worrying about a thing never got anyone anywhere, it was do or do not. They would have to fight it together no matter how difficult it might prove to be.

000

Palpatine's ship entered the Alderaan system and quickly headed for the correct planet. Emperor Palpatine was concentrating on discovering Anakin's exact location when he felt another person surge rudely into his bond with his apprentice. This was not the light ghost-like sensation he had felt before but a true, deep bonding. Well, not really into _his_ bond but into Lord Vader's mind. It amounted to the same thing, though, as he could sense the other's presence. Annoyance bubbled in the Sith Master's thin body and he resisted grinding his teeth together. Instead he tightened his grip on the chair's armrests until his bony knuckles turned white from the strain.

"It's that drat Kenobi again!" Palpatine cried as he willed the ship to land quickly so he could go face his rash young apprentice and to demand what foolishness was he doing, inviting Kenobi into his head! What in the Force was Lord Vader thinking? "That Jedi koochoo will goof everything up!"

Ever since Anakin had become his apprentice words in Huttese kept popping up in his language from time to time. It was annoying really and sometimes he had to watch his words carefully. But it was a small price to pay to have the most powerful Force wielder as his apprentice. Palpatine could sense the ship dropping through the atmosphere and he knew soon it would be landing so he could go straighten out this mess. There was a gentle thump as the ship touched down and Palpatine stood, stretching his leg muscles after the period of rest. He flexed his other muscles as well, just in case he would need to fight. He didn't think it would come to that, but Kenobi was a wild cannon apparently. Who knew what dastardly scheme he had cooked up during his years of exile?

Exiting the ship, Palpatine took a moment to study the home of Bail Organa. It was warmly nestled among a field of green and surrounded by an old-fashioned wrought iron fence. Walking forward, he pushed on the gate and it opened with ease. Stretching his senses forward, he could sense several humans inside the structure, Lord Vader being one of them. Wasting no time, he followed the path to the front door and boldly entered, not bothering to knock.

"Lord Vader, I …" Palpatine's words dried up in his mouth as he spotted his apprentice's new appearance. Instead of the suit of black armor and the breath mask, the young man was whole once more! He had a head full of wavy brown shoulder-length hair, smooth skin with nary a blemish, two real hands and his entire body. The Sith Master's mouth dropped open in utter shock and he just stood there for a moment, gawking stupidly. He had sensed confusion and odd feelings from Vader, yes, but this…! Recovering from his utter surprise, Palpatine stepped forward eagerly to better examine his apprentice. "How did this miracle happen? Why, you are whole once more! No wonder I sensed such a muddle of confusing emotions from you!"

Suddenly a blaster was shoved into his face. "You stay away from my husband!"

At the harsh words, Palpatine finally remembered there were others in the room and he turned to see none other than Padme Amidala. She was standing right next to Lord Vader and he couldn't understand why he hadn't seen her earlier. His reddish eyes bulged and his mouth dropped open a second time. The Sith Master leaned on his cane heavily, for the first time truly appreciating that he carried it about with him. The cane was mostly for show, to get sympathy from his subjects, but his current shock was so great that without it he may have fallen flat onto his face. "It can't be! You're … you're dead!"

"Well, I'm back now!" Padme told him, unafraid, as she glared at him. She wrapped a possessive arm about her husband's arm, hanging onto him. "Anakin is my husband and you can't have him!"

To be continued…

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It wrote itself very quickly.


	9. Confrontation With Palpy

**Author's Note**: I've been thinking about the plot of this story and I have come up with a few good ideas. These ideas will result in a much longer story but hopefully you don't mind. The story's plot is already far past my original idea (which was to get Luke with Vader) and now it's just following logic: Padmé meant Leia, which in turn meant Bail and Obi, then Palpy…so I might as well go a bit further with it. Oh, one more thing: Palpatine will call Ani "Lord Vader" and the others will call him Anakin. OK? And a big thanks to Katie who was kind enough to Beta this chapter for me.

**0 0 0**

"Well, I'm back now!" Padmé told him, unafraid, as she glared at him. She wrapped a possessive arm about her husband's arm, hanging onto him. "Anakin is my husband, and you can't have him!"

"It's another miracle!" Palpatine cried, his thoughts as fast as Sith lightning, switching instantly to his 'I'm An Innocent Little Old Man' act. His wrinkled, decayed face was partially concealed inside the cowl, his red eyes hidden in deep shadow. His presence was a dark ink stain upon the bright and cheerful breakfast nook, his black Jedi-like robe saturated with evil. A chill swept through the room, causing everyone to shiver slightly. "My lady, how pleasant it is to see you alive and in one piece! No one mourned more than I when the dreadful news of your demise reached Coruscant; you can be assured of that. The Senate desperately needs your…"

"No one believes your act, Palpatine." Obi-Wan cut in from where he stood on Anakin's opposite side, interrupting the elderly man's words. The Jedi pulled his lightsaber from his belt and flipped on the bright blue blade, holding it in a defensive position. "We know you're a Sith Master, the one we've been long searching for. Stay away from my apprentice!"

"Your apprentice!" Palpatine cried as he lifted a gnarled finger to point at Anakin, his long black sleeve falling away from his bony wrist. "Lord Vader is _my _apprentice now and he will remain so. But I should thank you, Master Kenobi, as you have done a wonderful job of raising a Sith. Without your help, it would have proven much more difficult to put my plan into effect."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to retort, but parts of the claim rung too true. He had tried the same teaching techniques on Anakin as Qui-Gon had used on him, but they hadn't worked very well at all. And it was his unwillingness and nervousness of speaking up that had led directly to Anakin's sour moods and that led him straight to the Sith. Still, he didn't like hearing the truth, and his grip on the lightsaber tightened until his knuckles were white. Palpatine was trying to make him angry and that was alarming. Surely the Sith Master wouldn't try to pull him to the Dark Side as well? What would be the point as he already claimed to have Anakin in his grip? Obi-Wan knew Anakin was much more powerful than he was, so it made little sense.

The Sith Master grinned as the Jedi's mouth opened and nothing came out. He could sense his Imperial Red Guards filing into the cozy breakfast nook behind him, their Force Pikes raised. He doubted he would need them, but, if he did, they were there and ready to serve him. He stretched his powerful mind outward with the Force to enter Lord Vader's mind. To his dark delight, their bond was still fully in place and from there it was a simple thing to flow down the newly forged connection and into the Jedi's mind.

"You cannot win." Palpatine said slowly in his low Sith Master voice, the words echoing through Obi-Wan's mind. "Give up now and I'll allow you to live. You will serve me well, with the right supervision. You were very foolish to bond with a Sith."

Obi-Wan shook his head, trying to force Palpatine out of his mind. He could feel the Sith's presence inside him, like the dark chill of a graveyard at midnight. This was something new, and he had no idea of how to fight it. Neither Maul nor Dooku had tried this tactic. Why didn't the Sith Master just try to kill him? He had killed all the other Jedi…

"Tell me your secrets…" Palpatine ordered as he tightened his grip on the Jedi's mind, careful not to actually harm him. He wrapped the Force around his body, grasping him with an invisible hand. Obi-Wan's sword arm was pushed downward against his side, the lit blade useless.

"Anakin! Help me!" Obi-Wan cried out, struggling in Palpatine's invisible grip.

The Chosen One was confused, just as confused as he had been before on Coruscant during the War. He had two Masters, but which one was he to obey? Before Palpatine had arrived in person, it had been easy to side with Obi-Wan, but now that the Sith Master stood before him - once more in all of his dark glory - it was not nearly as simple. He could feel the immense power radiating off of Palpatine, and he felt as if he should obey, _had_ to obey. Obi-Wan didn't understand the powers of the Dark Side…not yet anyway.

**0 0 0**

Princess Leia slowly walked down the leaf-littered path towards her school, her mind in turmoil. For the first time ever, she didn't really feel like going to school at all, but she felt obligated to attend to keep up her record of perfect attendance. As the daughter of Senator Organa, she felt as if she had to set a proper example for the other students. Besides, she enjoyed learning as much as she possibly could. Still, the morning's weird events had left her feeling confused.

Were the man and woman, Padmé and Anakin, her real parents? She had always believed that Bail had been her father, as she never had any reason not to think so. Now, the shock of the news and what it might mean started to sink into her head. Her footsteps faltered on the forest path, and she didn't even really see the familiar trees around her at all. She had passed this way so many times that she knew the well-used path by heart; the small copse was nothing more than a narrow stand of trees that hid Bail Organa's home from the rest of the city they lived in. She felt safe beneath the familiar branches, and her feet stopped their forward movement. Spotting a large white rock at the right side of the path, Leia moved to sit on it. Thin white branches adorned with brilliant green leaves hung just over her head, shading her from the bright blue sky. The loud roar of a descending spaceship reached her ears, but she ignored it, blocking it out.

"What if they want me to go live with them?" Leia asked the trees around her, not expecting a reply. She clung to her Padd, to its familiar scent and texture. She wasn't sure whether she was ready to go run off with the strangers, even if they were her real parents. But they might expect her to. Parents generally expected their children to live with them. And isn't that why they had ame come here, to get her?

No matter what anyone said, Bail was still her father, and she wasn't ready to leave him. Besides, he needed her now more than ever after her mother's sudden death. Without her, he would be alone and just have the servants.

Then her so-called brother's words floated back to her, whispering in her mind:

"That's Lord Vader. He's my father!"

And then Leia remembered the beginning of her dream. A slight icy chill raced down her back. The man, Anakin, was Darth Vader! She remembered now: the familiar black breath mask, the blinking light panel on his chest, the black armor and the long cape. How could she have forgotten that? But she had, until this very moment.

"If he really _is_ Lord Vader, he could take me away from Father!" Leia hugged the Padd to her chest as the full meaning of his identity sunk in. Vader could do anything he wished; he was second in command to the Emperor, and Alderaan was part of the Empire. He could just grab her and haul her onto his spacecraft, Bail being powerless to stop him. Would he even consider her feelings, her wishes or desires? From what she knew of Vader, he ruled with an iron fist.

It was clear that he had already snatched Luke from that other planet - what had it been called? Tatooine? Her brother seemed happy to be with him, but maybe he had had it bad in his other home. Why else had that Jedi showed up? It was clear to her that her father, Bail, had called him. And hadn't her father called Vader a kidnapper, snatching her brother from his other home?

"What will happen to me? I don't want to leave Alderaan! What of my dreams to be a Senator?" Leia asked herself, a gentle breeze blowing a few loose wisps of dark hair about her face.

She realized being the daughter of Lord Vader would give her more political power when she grew up, but she loved Alderaan and its people. This was her home. Coruscant, where Vader most likely lived, was so built up and ugly. It had no trees, no green fields, no flowers, and no nature at all. It was just duracrete skyscrapers, force fields in place of window glass, and so built up that you couldn't even find a piece of genuine ground anywhere. She had visited it before with Bail, and they had an apartment there, but she wouldn't want to _live_ there full time!

"If I tell Lord Vader I don't want to live with him, will he go away? Or not?" Leia glanced back down the trail towards home, half-convinced that stormtroopers would be coming after her now. Maybe Lord Vader had called down that ship she had heard a few moments ago? She remembered clearly how her father grew nervous each time she had gone near the young, wavy-haired man. No wonder he had been nervous! "Oh, what will I do? Should I go hide somewhere, or would that just make matters worst for father?"

"Are you all right?" A low female voice suddenly asked her.

Startled at the intrusion, Leia's body jerked in a moment of fear. Turning to look the other way, she saw a young blond woman standing on the path just a few feet away and then relaxed, as it wasn't a stormtrooper. She had thick blonde bangs just above her eyes and the rest of her hair fell straight down her back. She wore an expensive red robe with black trim with an odd design on the front, the hooded cowl resting against her back. The robe was made of a shiny material Leia did not quite recognize. It was immediately clear to Leia that she was from one of Alderaan's wealthier families, and, as there was no crime on her world, she had nothing to fear from her.

A light smile appeared on the woman's face. "I hope I didn't scare you. I didn't mean to."

"I didn't hear you coming." Leia admitted as she rose to her feet. "I shouldn't trouble you with my problems…"

"I don't mind helping, if you need help. I couldn't help but overhear you saying that you don't know what to do." The blonde woman added as she knelt on the path before Leia. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong? Maybe I can help."

"I … I just met my real father, and he's Lord Vader." Leia said uncertainly, biting her bottom lip. "He … he might force me to go away with him to Coruscant, and I don't want to leave my father, Bail Organa I mean. I really don't know Lord Vader, you see. I don't suppose you can understand that…"

"I first met my mother when I was about your age." The strange woman admitted in her low voice. A strange emotion swirled in her eyes for a moment, something Leia couldn't exactly recognize. "She turned out to be very different from what I had expected…"

"Really?" Leia looked up at her, surprised. "I just wish I knew what father wanted me to do! But if I go back home now, Lord Vader may grab me! I suppose he may not, as he seemed okay when I talked to him, but he does have that reputation, you know? And why else would father have called that Jedi to our house? I never believed Jedi were real before, but I guess they are. They were the defenders of the Old Republic, you know, before the Empire. I wish I knew somewhere I could hide. You wouldn't know a good hiding spot around here, do you?"

Leia looked hopefully at the blonde woman.

"I think I can help you with that." The woman replied with a smile. She rose to her feet and held out her hand.

Leia stared at her for a moment, uncertain. Still, what harm could it do? She could always go home later if she wanted to. Turning to peer down the path behind her, she was relieved to see it was still empty. A slight guilt for playing hooky from school bit at her, but she shrugged it off. Surely this was more important? Moving closer to the blonde, Leia reached up and took her hand. Then her stomach twisted oddly as the entire world disappeared.

There was a flash of light then the forest path was totally empty.

**0 0 0**

"Let go of Obi-Wan!" Seeing the confusion on her husband's face as he glanced from the Sith Master to Obi-Wan, Padmé fired her blaster at the Emperor. She feared that it would do little good against the power of the Dark Side, but she hoped it would distract the Emperor long enough for Obi-Wan to break free. To her dismay, Palpatine easily blocked the hot bolt of energy with his hand. The bolt bounced off at an angle and shattered a window to ricochet outside.

Anakin felt obligated to do something, and so he stepped in front of the Jedi, blocking Palpatine's view. His eyes narrowed, and his expression darkened as he glared at the Emperor. "Let him go, Master. He didn't have anything to do with my miraculous healing."

"Very well, Lord Vader, but you must explain how this miracle occurred." Palpatine released his grip on the Jedi and watched as Obi-Wan staggered a few steps, breathing heavily and bent over somewhat. He was clever enough to leave a thin link of his own connected to the Jedi's mind, as he sensed that Vader once again had positive feelings for his former teacher. The fact that he had stepped in to protect the Jedi proved that. Still, he needed a way to keep track of Kenobi, and the link would prove useful. The two had always made a very effective team, something that even he had noted. Before, he had thought it would have been impossible to turn this particular Jedi, so firmly was he locked into the Light, but now matters were vastly different. He had dumbly stuck his neck out for Anakin and gotten firmly entangled in a spider's sticky web. Getting free once more wouldn't be as easy. "I did not harm him anyway. You know this to be true."

"Ani! Don't call that _monster_ your Master!" Padmé cried as she pressed her self against Anakin's arm, fear and worry clear in her brown eyes. "You must fight against him! Help Obi-Wan!"

Anakin shook his head, his brown locks flying about his shoulders. He grazed her chin with his fingertips, raising her head so he could look into her eyes. How could he explain this tug-of-war feeling that was going on inside of him, each Master trying to pull him in a different direction? Padmé had no experience with the Force or of two people touching their minds together, their souls. Yes, she had heard about it, but that couldn't compare to experiencing it. Anakin felt his eyes mist with a layer of moisture, and he blinked it away, his lashes wet. "I … I feel compelled to obey, Padmé. I'm sorry. I don't know how to fight this."

"Lord Vader knows his place." Palpatine replied with a slightly evil smile. "But unlike the Jedi Order, I have no objection to your marriage. You are more than welcome to take your wife and your Jedi friend to _Executor_, as long as you continue to serve me."

Padmé gasped at this, truly surprised.

Obi-Wan straightened up, shock and a bit of fear in his blue eyes. He knew as a Jedi he shouldn't feel fear at all, but in a situation like this – caught by the Sith Master – it was hard not to. He had expected that he and Anakin would fight Palpatine together, but that didn't seem to be happening. And he couldn't fight him by himself – even Master Yoda wasn't able to best Palpatine in a fight! How could he?

"Now tell me how this miracle occurred…" Palpatine stated as he looked from one person to the next. A bright flash of white light assaulted his eyes, and pink flower petals floated through the air towards the floor. The very next instant, a nearly naked blonde woman with wavy hair was standing before him, clad in some sort of transparent dress over a white bikini. She had appeared between him and the others, blocking his view of Lord Vader.

"Lay off!" She ordered with a fierce glare. "I just got my perfect couple back together, and you're not going to ruin it!"

Palpatine's mouth dropped open in shock. "What - how - who are you?"

"I'm Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love!" The blonde goddess exclaimed. She pointed a finger at him, and a brilliant beam of pink light arced out to hit him in the chest. Instantly, his midnight black Sith robe turned a brilliant pink. Pleased with her work, Dite squealed in glee.

"Ack!" Palpatine cried in utter horror as he glanced down at his robe. Pink was not his color! "You ruined my robe!"

"And I can ruin your life as well, if I wanted to! I could make you fall in love with someone…" The air sparkled in front of the Goddess of Love, and a large wooden bow appeared from the aether. Reaching out, she gripped it in her hands and pulled back the string. As she did so, an enchanted arrow appeared from nowhere, its pointed tip aimed straight for the Emperor's heart. "If this hits you, you'll fall deeply, madly in love with someone…"

Emperor Palpatine considered the matter carefully. The Force informed him that she appeared to be just what she claimed to be: a real, genuine Goddess. In all of his years of studying the Force, he had never run across anything that even had hinted that real deities actually existed. Oh, primitive cultures believed in them, yes, but advanced societies didn't as they had simply outgrown the need for them. He knew for a fact he didn't want to be in love - the very thought was sickening!

Still, perhaps he could bargain with her.

"What do you want?" Palpatine asked her, realizing that having a real Goddess on his side could be a tremendous aid. He had no idea how his apprentice had met her or how he had convinced her to heal him, but apparently he had.

"I want Ani and Padmé to be together. They _belong_ together!" Aphrodite exclaimed, her arrow still pointing at him. "I'm tired of all those nasty wars you're creating!"

"I assure you, my lady, that I only did what was necessary. The government of the Old Republic no longer functioned as it was meant to. There was no interest in the common good anymore, only greed and squabbling. What I have done, I have done for the good of the common people." Palpatine said, unafraid of her arrow. As a Sith Master, he was fearless. "Unfortunately, that required a war, yes, but now I'm building my Empire so the fighting should be less."

"You destroyed the entire Jedi Order!" Obi-Wan blurted out, his voice full of emotion.

"They were a regrettable casualty, but be thankful you're not among their number." Palpatine replied coolly. "They never should have gotten involved with politics. And I'm afraid they were blind to the numerous problems that the government of the Old Republic suffered and blindly supported it. And if you think about it, the Old Republic has _become_ the Empire so you should really be supporting me, shouldn't you?"

"I don't believe this!" Obi-Wan blurted, angrily. He glared at Palpatine, who, to his even greater annoyance, stared back at him, the picture of innocence. "Are you trying to say that a _Sith Lord_ cares about the common good? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!"

"And what did your precious _Order_ do to stop the common thieves, muggers, smugglers, murderers, and so forth that preyed on the every day person? People who were not senators or wealthy business owners? There was no public police service at all on Coruscant or anywhere else in the Old Republic. People had to fend for themselves and if they got robbed or attacked? Well, too bad." Palpatine spread his arms outward, holding them akimbo. "But I have created a proper police force, my grand army, and they will catch and arrest all criminals – not just the big ones as the Jedi used to do."

"We couldn't be _everywhere_!" Obi-Wan protested, knowing that there was no way the Jedi Order could have gone after each and every criminal. He remembered the day that he and Anakin had caught the assassin in the club, there had been an alien trying to sell him illegal drugs: death sticks. He had not bothered to arrest the alien, even thought selling death sticks were against the law. "There weren't enough Jedi and the government was calling on us more and more…"

Palpatine grinned, certain he had won that argument.

"I will not serve a Sith Lord!" Obi-Wan vowed, clinging to his lit lightsaber. He would have already attacked Palpatine, but he knew he couldn't fight him alone. "Anakin, help me defeat him! Together we can, but you must block him out of your head! Listen to me…"

"But Palpatine is right. The old government wasn't working." Anakin turned to regard Obi-Wan. "That's why he was voted first Supreme Chancellor and then became Emperor. The old ruling body was too slow at making decisions and was clogged up with committees. Countless people were dying as the committees sat and talked…"

"Anakin," Obi-Wan's heart lurched. "Tell me you don't actually believe that."

"Of course I do. I believed it before, and I do now. Palpatine is wise." Anakin met the eyes of his old Master, raising his chin in defiance. "I just need to learn to control my emotions better, as you said. Palpatine is not to blame for the things I've done, for my fear that Padmé would die or for my anger at you on Mustafar. That's my own fault. I never was very good at controlling my feelings…"

"Why don't we allow Lord Vader to decide whom he wants for his Master, instead of squabbling over it?" Palpatine suggested, smiling amiably. The Sith Lord was sure he would win; after all, he had a firm grip on the young man. Better yet, Vader believed the same things that he did. He believed in the causes the Empire fought for, and so he fought for it all the harder.

Padmé clung to Anakin tightly; fearful she would lose him. He was eating up all of the Sith Lord's lies and wasn't listening to Obi-Wan at all! "Anakin, I don't want to lose you again!"

"I have no objections to your marriage. How many times must I say that? I'm not stealing him from you. He's my apprentice and employee!" Palpatine repeated, twisting to face Padmé. "You are more than welcome to accompany Lord Vader onto his ship, the _Executor_. I'm sure his quarters are of sufficient size for both of you. And take that annoying Jedi with you, so I don't have to worry what he's doing somewhere!"

Padmé's eyes widened in surprise at the Sith Master's words. Did he actually mean it? She had heard him say it the first time, but had believed it to be some sort of trick. Sith always lied, didn't they? He just wanted them to go with him, and then she would be arrested, separated from Ani! "Don't listen to him, Ani! He's lying, I'm sure of it!"

"And what would you have my apprentice do, go live with you on some backwater planet, hiding from me?" Palpatine asked her, his tone serious. "You know as well as I do that he would never be satisfied with that type of life. He prefers to be in the middle of the action, doing things. That kind of inactivity would drive him mad. It would be far better if you were to go live with him on the Star Destroyer, especially since I don't object to it."

Padmé and Obi-Wan exchanged nervous glances with each other, unsure what they should do. While they had been talking with Palpatine, his Imperial Red Guards had circled around them, trapping them. The guards' Force Pikes were now pointed at them, ready for action should it be required.

"It appears as if we have little choice in the matter." Obi-Wan admitted, seeing how they were surrounded. Sighing, the Jedi turned his lightsaber off and rehooked it onto his belt.

The Emperor turned to Aphrodite. "Do you have any objections to Lord Vader and Padmé living together onboard _Executor_?"

"Not as long as they're together." The Goddess replied as she lowered her weapon at last. "But I'll be watching from Olympus. If you separate them…"

"Understood." The Emperor replied, and then motioned to his apprentice with a wrinkled hand. "Come, Lord Vader, let us go to my ship. Then I will escort you and your companions back to your Star Destroyer. I am very pleased, I must admit. Not only have you made contact with a powerful Goddess, but you have caught one of the remaining Jedi as well. What an excellent idea to bond with him now that he is snared in our grasp. I'm sure that in time he will prove himself very useful to us."

Lord Vader fell into step with Emperor Palpatine, a firm grip on Obi-Wan's wrist forcing the Jedi to walk alongside him. Padmé, refusing to walk next to the hated Emperor, moved to Obi-Wan's other side. The Imperial Red Guards followed closely in a pack at their heels. Hopefully once they reached _Executor _and the Emperor had left, they could talk some sense into Anakin. Or perhaps they could escape somehow, steal a shuttle perhaps, although she was loathe to leave Ani by himself. Perhaps they could manage to convince him to go with them…

Then Vader stopped.

Palpatine noticed and stopped as well, turning around to see what was wrong this time. "Well, Lord Vader? What is it now? You have your wife, and you have your Jedi. What else is there?"

/_Don't say it, Anakin!_/ Obi-Wan ordered telepathically, hoping that this time Anakin would actually listen to him.

"My children."

**To be continued…**

Author's Note: Hopefully this chapter was interesting. Hopefully Palpy wasn't acting TOO nice there. I do have a plan, so you'll just have to wait for more to unfold.


	10. Luke Meets Palpatine

Wish Ten

Author's Note: I started a new Star Wars vampire story, "Secret of the Sith". Go check it out! It's Anakin/Padme and Palpy is lying in that one, too. LOL. I admit I have fun writing Palpy. Oh and sorry I goofed on Palpatine's eye color in this story. I noticed he has yellow eyes and not red ones (but his eyes will stay red in this story). Oh well. As to the yellow eyes, hmmmm, wonder if he has a layer of tapetum in those eyes? In case you don't know, cats have tapetum (a shiny mirror-like surface) in their eyes and that's why they reflect light. Yep, I have cats.

000

"My children."

"What?!" Palpatine exclaimed as he gawked at his apprentice, truly surprised. How had he hidden that fact from him, from their mental bond? He wasn't aware that the other was capable of such things and had presumed his control over the other was total. The Emperor narrowed his red eyes, the ugly raw skin under them appearing more reddish then before. "You just got her back and already you're breeding? I thought I had ordered you to kill all the Jedi and now you're creating new ones!"

"They are not Jedi and know nothing of the Force, Master." Vader replied, feeling slightly annoyed at Palpatine. The word 'breeding' had an impolite ring to it in his ears. Nor would he consider what he and Padme did all those years ago as 'breeding'. Animals were bred together to create more or to improve certain qualities, but you didn't breed people. He loved Padme with all of his heart and soul. "They are just children, younger even than I had been when I first came to Coruscant."

Palpatine glanced around the breakfast nook but didn't see Vader's offspring. He could sense his apprentice's annoyance at him through their bond and decided he had better choose his words more carefully. Vader was well trained in his duties and incredibly loyal, but he knew he was unpredictable as well. Having his wife and the Jedi around trying to influence him wasn't exactly good, either. Unfortunately, he hadn't figured out how to get rid of the new pests without making that Goddess angry with him. No doubt his old companions would try to free him from the Dark Side, but Palpatine knew that it was impossible. But children, on his Star Destroyer! Soon they'd need a maternity ward, too! The Emperor scowled at the idea, his mood growing darker than before. "Very well, Lord Vader, but I do not see any children. I don't suppose you know where they scampered off to, do you?"

"They are here somewhere." Vader simply replied as he turned around to see where Luke had gone, his grip on Obi-Wan's wrist dragging the Jedi around as well.

/_Now you have done it, Anakin! Darth Sidious will want to kill Luke and Leia! You should not have told him._/

/_Why should he kill them? They are just children._/

/_They are a threat to his power._/

/_That is ridiculous! They are a threat to no one. The worst they could do is to give him some childhood illness._/

/_Then why did he have you kill all the Younglings? He will see them as a threat. Don't you see how annoyed he is._/

/_He is just annoyed because of the delay. And the news is a shock, nothing more. Besides, Executor is my ship. He cannot touch them there._/

/_I wouldn't be so sure of that, Anakin. He has control of the clones._/

/_And you, Obi-Wan, are paranoid. I will not let him harm you or the children anymore than I would allow him to hurt Padme._/

/_So you would kill Palpatine?_/

/_And you would become my apprentice? We could rule the galaxy together, Obi-Wan. Wouldn't you like that?_/

/_It is supposed to be a Republic!_/

/_You didn't answer my question._/

/_No, I won't be your apprentice. I'm a Jedi, not a Sith._/

/_I cannot kill Palpatine by myself. I am not that foolish. He is not as evil as you think._/

/_Anakin, I will do my best to straighten out your mixed-up, delusional, greedy for power, Sith brain but I am only human. It will take me time._/

/_There is nothing wrong with me, Obi-Wan._/

/_I'm sure all Sith say that. Why did you become a Sith in the first place?_/

/_I did it to save Padme. She was going to die. I saw it in my nightmares. Darth Plagueis had an ability to stop people from dying and Palpatine promised to teach it to me. But before I could learn it…_/

Anakin cut off the mental communication with Obi-Wan as he didn't want to think about Mustafar and bring up bad memories. He was just beginning to patch their relationship and he didn't want to ruin it by saying the wrong thing. The truth was he had missed his old master and the adventures they used to have together. Scanning the room with his sharp eyes, he realized that his children weren't there and Bail Organa was missing as well. Had Bail run off with them when Palpatine had arrived? Reaching out with the Force for his son's now familiar signature, he discovered he was still in Organa's home. Sith or not, he sighed in relief. He had never known Senator Organa very well and so he had no idea if the man would have tried to run off with his son. It was good for Organa that he hadn't.

000

Luke had felt safe and somewhat secure in his mother's arms, as he was getting a little bit used to her. She wasn't like his Aunt Beru, as Aunt Beru had never smelled so strange – powerful scents that crawled up his nostrils and made him want to sneeze – but he supposed it was OK, as he was growing accustomed to it. His father had been talking to the Jedi about something that he didn't exactly understand. It was boring grown-up talk really and Luke had squirmed to get down. To his relief, his mother had let him go then and his feet touched the shiny floor.

There had been talk that someone else was coming. Luke wasn't exactly sure whom, but somebody. Father seemed OK with the person coming to visit but his mother and the Jedi seemed to disagree. Luke knew all to well how that would end, as Aunt Beru always had agreed with what Uncle Owen said in the end. Surely his father would win, as he took the place of Uncle Owen? Luke bit his lip, unsure, as it was two against one. Before he could think more on it, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his waist from behind and he felt himself being picked up. It wasn't his mother, as she was clinging to his father's arm now and the Jedi was trapped against the wall. A little spike of fear shot through his body then as he had no idea who had snatched him up.

"Shhhhhhh." Bail whispered in his ear as he pressed the young child against his chest.

Luke twisted around and realized it was his sister's other father. The man seemed nice enough and he lived in such a fancy castle. Luke frowned a little at the thought, still sour that Leia lived in a huge castle and he had gotten stuck living out in the middle of nowhere desert. It just wasn't fair! At least she wasn't around at the moment, as he didn't want to share his father with some dumb strange-talking girl.

He peered around with wide eyes as Organa carried him up a spiral staircase. They went past fancy pictures on the walls, most showing dull looking people in odd clothes or just images of their faces. When they reached the next floor, he was carried into another room. To his utter horror, it was all pink ruffles and lace. He knew immediately somehow that this was his sister's bedroom. It was far different than the plain bedroom he had owned on the moisture farm!

"Stay here. It's not safe down there as the Emperor is coming." The dark haired man told him as he set him down on the bed. "Try to be as quiet as you can so the Emperor won't know you're here."

"Who's the Emperor?" Luke asked, not really understanding as he looked around the strange room. A plush pale pink carpet covered the floor and there were expensive looking dolls on some bookcases. The bed even had a weird cover thing on poles and hard as he tried, he couldn't figure out why that cover was there. Did the ceiling leak or something? He didn't like it here in this strange place without his father. And why had Leia's father take him away from his own father?

"He's the evil man who rules the Empire." Bail Organa said.

"You mean he's like a king or something?" Luke asked as he pictured a wealthy man wearing a fancy gold crown covered in priceless jewels. He remembered the illustration from his Learning To Read datachip that had gone with the word 'king'. Kings weren't supposed to be evil, were they? The monsters out in the desert, they were evil.

"Yes, he's like a king." Bail agreed quickly, his voice hushed. He gripped something off the dresser and handed it to Luke. Then he moved over to the door and palmed it shut. "Here, who don't you play with this puzzle. Leia enjoys it very much."

Luke accepted the strange gadget and after a moment found the switch to flick it on. Several three-dimensional shapes appeared in the air before him. They were in different colors and shapes. Luke recognized a few circles, squares, triangles and a few other ones, what they were he didn't know. He fiddled with the controls a bit but the thing made no sense at all. Bored and frustrated with it, he tossed it onto the bed next to him. The thing was totally dumb and he had never seen anything like it before anyway. "I want my father."

"You can see him later." Bail said as he stood blocking the closed door with his body. "He's busy right now."

The young boy thought about this carefully. This man had never liked his father very much and had acted distrustful when they had first arrived, although he had seemed happy to see his mother again. Would his parents want him here, with this person? He really didn't know. This castle was so different from what he had known back on Tatooine. In fact, he wasn't even too sure where he was now. Maybe they could visit all of the planets in the whole galaxy just by popping from one to the next one! It would be amazing! Still, he would like to see that king, too… "Why can't I see that king?"

"Because he's evil." Bail replied.

"So why is an evil man visiting your house? You must be evil, too!" Luke cried as he figured it out. "Anyone with a room this pink has _got_ to be evil!"

"Shhhhhh! He'll hear you!" Bail moved closer to Luke, trying to put a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.

Luke twisted around and leaped off the bed, running past Bail. He hit the door release and dashed out into the pale colored hallway. Tiptoeing as to be extra quiet, he approached the railing at the second floor landing and peered downward between the carved pieces of stone. There were more people down there than before, a bunch of people in brilliant red and some guy in a pink hooded bathrobe. Luke's blue eyes shifted to every corner of the room looking for the king but he didn't see one. Realized he must have missed the fancy-dressed guy, his hopes fell. "Keepuna! I must have missed him! Now I won't be able to tell Leia how lucky I was to see a real live king!"

Knowing his luck, she'll probably run into him on her way home from school and then she'll be the one bragging. Luke's frowned and he sat down on the polished marble floor of the landing, his back resting against the railing spokes. "I bet he had a bunch of fancy stuff with him, too, like exotic animals in cages, pretty dancing girls, guys with flashing swords and birds that can sing…"

Luke had seen it all once in a holovision movie about a prince courting a princess. The prince had arrived at the princess's home in style with tons of servants and a large menagerie of animals to impress her. The fanciful images danced through his brain and he wished he could have actually seen them this time for real instead of just as tiny images on his Uncle's holovision set.

He saw Bail waving a hand at him eagerly from the pink room but Luke just glared at him. Sure, maybe _he_ had seen all the fancy stuff a zillion times living here but he hadn't seen it not once! "Just miles and miles of sand…"

Footsteps were coming up the stairs and Luke twisted around slightly to see whom it was. The tall figure of his father appeared, his familiar dark clothing a comforting sight. He could see his father's blue eyes light up with joy upon seeing him and a smile spread across his face. Bending down slightly, he held out his arms. "Luke."

Luke scrambled to his feet and ran into his father's welcoming arms and he was lifted upward. Wrapping an arm around his father's strong shoulder, he tangled a hand in his thick wavy hair.

"Where is your sister?" His father asked as he peered around the landing for her.

"I thought she went off to school…" Luke replied as he peered over his father's shoulder at the Jedi and at his mother. For some reason both of them were sticking to his father like glue and there was a nervous tint to the air. It was the same odd feeling he had gotten when Uncle Owen had been grumpy about something, but that didn't exactly make sense, did it? He hadn't heard any loud voices or fighting. And although he was a tad glum from missing the animals, he certainly wasn't that nervous. Unable to figure it out, Luke decided to forget about it.

/_Anakin, why don't we just run out another door? We could still escape from Palpatine. That Goddess could help us._/

/_I want my daughter._/

/_Your daughter has a good home here. She is well cared for and loved by Bail Organa. You can see that._/

Scraping footsteps came up the stairs and Luke peered curiously to see whom it could be. To his utter surprise, it was the weird guy wearing the hooded pink bathrobe. Luke stared at him wide-eyed and a little bit frightened, for he looked very scary indeed! His eyes were a creepy red and there were deep grooves under each eye, the grooves themselves red as if the skin had peeled away. Some weird bumps covered his forehead. Deep lines ran from under his eyes across each cheek to the edge of his face, his skin wrinkled and pitted from a zillion suns. His neck was even worst and reminded Luke of one of those huge animals that had the dry, wrinkly skin. He had no idea who he was or where he had come from, but he must be about a billion years old. Frightened, Luke ducked down and pressed his face against Anakin's neck so he wouldn't have to look at him.

"So, Lord Vader, is this your son?" A voice asked.

"This is Luke." His father said, his arms tightening slightly around him. "As you can sense, Master, he knows nothing of the Force."

"Hello, young Luke." The same voice said. "Your father works for me. I'm Emperor Palpatine."

Luke peered out but only saw the wrinkled-face man in the bathrobe. Surely _he_ couldn't be the king! Where were his fancy clothes, the fur-lined cloaks and stuff? "You don't _look_ like a king…"

Having picked up the fanciful image of the 'king' illustration from the boy's head, Palpatine smiled. "I left my crown at home."

"Oh." Said Luke, still disappointed. King or no king, this guy was nothing to brag about to his sister. In fact, he looked like something that crawled out of a tomb, as Luke remembered part of a creepy black-and-white holovision movie he had seen once without his Uncle's permission. A stone door had creaked open and a horrible monster had crawled out slowly, its face very similar to Palpatine's. The thing had frightened him for two weeks and he had been unable to get any decent sleep at all. Beru had doted on him but Uncle Owen had been angry, as it had been way past his bedtime. Needless to say after that Luke had learned not to sneak into the family room at two in the morning to turn on the holovision. Still, he _was_ a king so maybe he _did_ have some animals. "Do you have any animals?"

000

Palpatine scowled at the question. Reaching out with the Force, he scanned the young boy's mind and quickly found the image from the holovision movie, as it floated right on the surface. There was a ridiculous prince riding atop some huge creature, colorful birds in cages, a large assortment of hoofed animals and many other strange beasts. Worst of all it had been one of those cheesy, animated family movies done in bright colors. As they moved down the crowded street some strange song was playing, some of the lyrics still floating in Luke's head. It was enough to make Palpatine sick. The boy apparently thought royalty actually traveled that way, with a zoo of exotic creatures! The Emperor turned his gaze on the young child pressed against his apprentice's chest. "No, I don't have any animals."

Palpatine was sure that would be the end of the matter.

"Why?" Luke asked wide-eyed. "I thought kings were supposed to have exotic animals in their backyard."

"There is no room on Coruscant for animals. And I have no need for animals, either." Palpatine replied as he shifted his gaze from Luke to his apprentice. He could easily see where this was going: he'd give Vader a hand and he'd end up taking an arm instead.

/_Lord Vader, you have best not turn Executor into a floating zoo in space!_/

/_Of course not, Master._/

/_That son of yours doesn't know what century it is. His brain is addled from numerous holovision movies that he no doubt believes is fact._/

/_He is just a child, Master. He knows nothing of the galaxy._/

Emperor Palpatine frowned; sure that Lord Vader would sneak out at the earliest opportunity to go get his son some kind of animal. Well, it had best be a small animal and something that wouldn't damage the ship. He could feel those sickening warm feelings growing in his apprentice, the icy darkness slowly fading. Still, Lord Vader still possessed his greed for power and his belief in the Empire. The Dark Side would win in the end as it always did.

And although the boy had raw power, he had no idea it was there at all. He had sensed the nervousness from his mother and the Jedi but had dismissed the feeling as a figment of his imagination. He was no threat now, but in the future? Palpatine decided he would wait and see how the boy progressed once he was living with his father on _Executor_. He was giving Lord Vader too much free reign and he worried that the younger man would take advantage of the situation. But with that Goddess… She was probably watching him this very moment, invisible somewhere. Drat! She was ruining everything!

There had to be someway to gain the upper hand, but how? And why hadn't he foreseen any of these events? If he weren't careful, Lord Vader might steal his position of Emperor! Was he already trying to convince the Jedi to join him in that regard? He really needed to separate them somehow but he sensed his apprentice would balk at that. So far he hadn't heard any mental chitchat between the two but he had seen them exchange glances. Was Vader blocking him out somehow so he couldn't overhear them? He didn't think that was possible, but then Vader had kept his offspring a secret, too. He would need to meditate on it later.

Then Palpatine remembered that Vader had said 'children' and not 'child' or 'son'. Did that mean there was another one somewhere? "Well, Lord Vader, is there another child somewhere?"

"My daughter, Leia." Vader replied honestly as he shifted Luke to a more comfortable position. "I believe she has gone off to school just before you arrived. I just only met her…"

So that is what his apprentice was doing on Alderaan, trying to collect his daughter. The mystery was finally taking shape and the Sith Master felt slightly better, a pleasant feeling of darkness seeping into his heart. Realizing that he wouldn't want to leave without her, Palpatine sighed. "I suppose we must pay a visit to this school then."

The idea of sticky-fingered kids running around him was not welcome. These would not be well-disciplined Younglings but ordinary run-of-the-mill kids. They would be loud, rude and no doubt out-of-control. He would have to plan ahead, placing a protective Force shield about himself for flying balls. Many children were truly evil and would take great joy at hitting an elderly man in the head with a ball. He knew that all too well as he had done exactly that as a child. Of course, he had been clever so he had never been caught, some other kid catching the blame for what he had done. A slight smile cracked his lips as Palpatine thought of his dark childhood long, long ago.

"Yes, Master." Vader replied.

"Very well. Let us go then." Palpatine said as he turned around and started to carefully climb down the stairs, leaning on his cane. He enjoyed projecting the image that he was elderly, with a touch of arthritis, as he never knew who was watching him. Then if the person attacked him they would be in for a great shock when he could fly about the room by doing flips and so fourth. Nor did most people know he carried a lightsaber hidden in his robes. And although he could summon Sith Lightning, he didn't want to totally depend on that, either. He had not lived to be this old by being stupid, so he had a last-ditch weapon hidden on his body that no one knew about: a dagger tied to one of his forearms. A simple Force thought would release it to slide into his waiting hand, ready to use. He had practiced the maneuver countless times so he was incredibly fast at it now.

Taking his time, Palpatine finally reached the bottom of the staircase and stepped onto the smooth floor, projecting the image that he was slightly out of breath. Signaling to his Imperial Red Guards, Palpatine headed for the door. He was confident that Lord Vader would follow him.

000

Anakin was surprised how heavy Luke was beginning to feel in his arms as he shifted him upward once again, securely holding the young boy to his side. Surely holding an eight-year-old for a period of time shouldn't be wearing on him already? Had he grown accustomed to his mechanical arms, arms that had been strong enough to pick up the heaviest objects with ease? Or were his new arms weak and not used to doing things? True, he had never really lifted a child before so he had nothing to compare it to. Still, he didn't want to put Luke down as he may try to run rudely past Palpatine on the stairs. Calling on the Force, he sent the tiredness in his limbs away and renewed his strength.

/_Very good, Anakin! I am well pleased._/

/_Pleased with what?_/

/_I am pleased that you just called on the Living Force and not on the Dark Side. Perhaps Master Yoda had been wrong after all and that a person can come back from the Dark Side with the right motive. It appears you son is that motive._/

Anakin was stunned at Obi-Wan's words, as he hadn't even realized he had done so. He had just reached for it and had done it without thinking. Either old habits were returning or that deep mental bond with his former Master was working better than he had hoped. He was just about to send Obi-Wan some sort of reply when a new voice called out.

"Lord Vader," Bail Organa said as he emerged from his daughter's bedroom. "Please do not take my daughter from me. I have raised her since she was just a newborn. This is the only home that Leia has ever known."

Pausing at the top of the landing, Anakin turned to regard the Senator of Alderaan. "But she is my daughter, too. Surely she belongs with her family."

"She would be in danger on Coruscant, with _him_ there. That is why they were hidden years ago! I fear they wont be safe anywhere now." Bail hissed in a loud whisper, his dark eyes peering down over the railing where the Red Guards were gathering around the Emperor. He knew all too well that the elderly man was really the Sith Master and had control of the Senate. Too many times to count he had seen the evil man influence votes one way or another, even though he wasn't supposed to interfere at all.

"They will be safe on _Executor._" Anakin replied as he thought of his very secure quarters aboard the ship. His lip turned down ever so slightly as he realized how much remodeling he would need to do in order to move everyone in. His egg-like chamber would have to go, as he just didn't need it anymore. And his quarters would need to be expanded greatly. He would need a proper bedroom for him and Padme, rooms for the children and another bedroom for Obi-Wan. While he was out doing his duties, Obi-Wan could help Padme with the children. Yes, that would work very well. The Jedi could be both a teacher and act as an extra layer of security. He would need to get furniture, clothing, and some sort of toys. The bedrooms should be interconnected with a common room and secure from the rest of the ship.

"_Executor?_" Bail cried, shocked. "A warship is no place to raise a child. They need stability, not to be surrounded by stormtroopers! Where will they go to school? Where will they run and play or breathe fresh air?"

"My stormtroopers are very loyal to me. They dare not raise a hand against my family, not if they want to continue breathing…they will be safe there. Schooling can be done aboard the ship. And a Super Star Destroyer is the largest ship ever built – there is plenty of room to run." Anakin realized he should call _Executor_ now and get Admiral Piett to bring the ship here immediately. He trusted Piett with the day to day running of the ship and the man had an uncanny way of predicting exactly what he wanted and then had the information waiting. He was superior to the clumsy late Admiral Ozzel that was for certain. With _Executor_ here he could avoid getting a lift from Palpatine's ship. He trusted Palpatine, yes, but it was best not to take unnecessary risks. "Where may I use a comlink?"

"Downstairs, in my office…" Bail answered automatically, a worried expression on his face. "What are you going to do?"

"Call my ship." Anakin replied as he turned to head down the stairs and then paused again. "Where is Leia's school located?"

"You just follow the footpath through the trees…" Bail answered, even though he hadn't wanted to. He had always dreaded that this day might come, but he hadn't actually thought it would. Things had been going so smoothly and no one had suspected anything at all. He wrung his hands together nervously and pleaded with his eyes to Padme, hoping she would be able to talk some sense into her husband. Why couldn't they stay here? Of course, now that Palpatine knew about him and Leia, Alderaan wasn't safe anymore.

Anakin started down the stairs, ignoring the panic that was leaking from Senator Organa into the air around him. They both could not have Leia and she was his daughter. What was he supposed to do, give her up? He had gone to the Dark Side for his wife and unborn child, just to save their lives. Still, he was grateful that the Senator had raised her so well and had given her a happy home. The feelings of fear and misery that the Senator was feeling were all too familiar, as he had experienced the same all those years ago. Then he remembered the countless families that had given up their children to the Jedi Order. Surely this was no different, was it? And Leia had the Force and was already experiencing prophetic visions.

Reaching the ground floor, Anakin made his way to the Senator's office and went in. He spotted the comlink right away sitting on the desk. Turning, he handed Luke to a startled Obi-Wan. "You had best get used to it."

Obi-Wan accepted the boy, holding him as best he could. The last time he had held Luke, Luke had been a tiny infant. He had kept a watchful eye over the Lars farmstead for eight long years, but nothing thankfully had ever happened until the Goddess Aphrodite had appeared. "Used to what?"

"Holding my children." Anakin said as he turned to regard his former master. He still had no clear idea what Obi-Wan thought of his little family. He had apparently been watching over Luke but had no clear interaction with him, either. "Fatherhood is not the evil thing the Jedi have convinced you it is, Obi-Wan. The Sith may not be right, but neither were the Jedi. The Order would have not been destroyed if the Force didn't wish it so, isn't that right? Perhaps I just did the will of the Force that day. Am I not the Chosen One? Perhaps the Jedi need to change and this is a step in the right direction."

Could Anakin be correct? Obi-Wan didn't want to believe it, that the Force itself had desired to kill so many innocent Jedi. Surely that couldn't be so; certainly that was the Sith Lord inside Anakin talking. Wasn't it? But then, Anakin had really been speaking of fatherhood and not the destruction of the Order. Controlling his urge to snap at his former Padawan, as that wouldn't help any and just make matters worst, he released his agitation into the Force. "Perhaps you are right, Anakin. I never had a family, not a real one as you have had as a young boy."

"Now you have a family." Anakin stated with a smile as he watched his son wrap his arms around Obi-Wan's neck. Padme came into the room then and stood next to the Jedi. It was a nice little family picture really and Anakin felt a bit more of the darkness in his heart die. Yes, his former stuffy Master would get used to living in a family arrangement and then he'd see that it wasn't some horrible thing at all.

To be continued…

Author's Note: I thought I'd end this chapter here on the happy note. And yes, I realized that Piett didn't become Admiral until _The Empire Strikes Back_ but I thought why not? It would be a lot easier to use Piett than to create some new officer.


	11. A Discovery is Made

Wish 11

Before Anakin touched the comlink to call his ship, the device beeped to indicate an incoming call was coming in. The timing of it surprised him and his hand froze mid-reach. In retrospect it shouldn't surprise him at all as Bail was an important man with many things to do. Running a planet like Alderaan, even if it was peaceful and crime free still required a lot of work. The device rang shrilly again, the loud tone demanding it be answered. An honorable Jedi would never think to answer another person's personal calls but Lord Vader had no such qualms. His finger reached out and struck the button to connect the call. "Yes, what is it?"

"Senator Organa?" An uncertain voice asked. "I'm calling in regards to your daughter, Princess Leia. This is her school. Is she sick or did something come up at home? It's just she has perfect attendance and we're a bit worried when she didn't show up today…"

A cold chill swept down Anakin's spine at the words and his hand curled into a fist. Leia was not at school? He clearly remembered his daughter walking out the door with the Padd in her hand, her long brown braid trailing down her back. It took him a moment to recall the image as he had been busy at the moment she had left, but after reviewing the recent events in his mind he saw her leaving. It was one of the benefits of being a Jedi or a Sith; instant replay of any memory to examine it from different angles. Fears that some ill fate had befallen her itched at him and the dark whispers in the back of his mind demanded it was so, but he valiantly tried to shove them away. He forcibly reminded himself that Alderaan was a peaceful planet and that no one even bothered to lock their doors. It was unlikely anything had happened to her and his own anxiety was making a fool out of him.

"Ani?" Padme leaned heavily on the desk's edge, her dark eyes filled with worry and fear. He could feel the emotion coming off her in waves. "What does this mean? Where could she be?"

"Relax, Padme." Anakin replied as he held up a hand to stop her worries. "We'll find her. The years spent as Lord Vader has honed my skills at this sort of thing."

He did not mention the fact he had never discovered he had living children. He feared it would ruin her confidence in him and now he needed to be strong to support her.

Anakin strode from the room and stopped before Bail Organa. The man looked incredibly sad and depressed about the fact he was about to lose the daughter he had raised these past years. He could see the resign in his dark eyes, as if he knew he had already lost the battle. Had the Senator hidden her away somehow? He wouldn't put it past him, as he had made it perfectly clear he hadn't wanted to give her up. There might have been a plan in place all of these years, ready to be set off at a moment's notice. "Where is my daughter? The school just called to say she is not there."

"What?" Bail's eyes grew round in surprise, his mouth hanging agape. "What do you mean she's not at school?"

"I meant exactly what I said: she is not there. Did you hide her somewhere?" Anakin could feel the wave of shock come off of Bail and it seemed genuine enough as did his reaction, but the long years as Lord Vader taught him that people lied. He reached out and physically gripped the man by his fancy clothes, partly lifting him off of the floor. He could feel the Senator struggling in his grasp, clinging to his arm as he balanced on his toes the best he could. "Where is my daughter?"

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as he could see the younger man was getting out of control rapidly. He could feel the inky darkness of the Dark Side gathering, the taint of evil now seeping through their bond and into his mind. He may not have been the perfect Jedi that everyone always thought him to be, but he never had any direct experience with the Dark Side either. Oh, he had fought Sith and had sensed their dark presence in a room, but this, this was feeling it directly and was a whole new ballgame. Truth be told, he feared what it might do to him. "Anakin, stop! Bail has nothing to do with your daughter's disappearance! Think straight for a moment!"

"But he has the most to gain by hiding her away." Anakin replied as he partly turned to regard the older Jedi. "You heard him a short time ago. He wanted to keep her and she's rightfully mine!"

"And have you considered how this sudden news might have upset her?" Obi-Wan asked as he hoped he could calm the over-emotional Jedi turned Sith – heck he didn't know what Anakin was at the moment but it was clearly more Sith than anything else – down. He recalled his own training and called forth a cool wave of calm to stop the dankness and whispers that was leaking into his mind. "Think about it for a moment! She was living her life peacefully and suddenly you show up saying you're her father! No matter how calmly she took the news, it must have upset her. It would upset and confuse anyone. Maybe she decided to skip class for once in her life and under the circumstances I think it's excusable. She probably needed to sort things out and figure out what all of this means."

As if a plug was pulled, the hot anger fizzled out of Anakin and his death grip on Bail's shirt loosened. "I guess you're right, Obi-Wan. This must be confusing for her."

Anakin clearly recalled that fateful day when he had met the two Jedi, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. And when the older Jedi had offered to take him on as a Padawan, he had been thrilled. It had been his dream, to go away and to become a hero of the galaxy as surely that's what Jedi were. He would stop all of the madness and people would no longer be slaves. But then he had learned only he would be going. That had saddened and frightened him, as he had never been parted from his mother. He had childishly expected she would come with him. He had cried when he had left her, although he had tried not to. What child wouldn't? The ship had seemed freezing after the desert of Tatoonie and Coruscant had seemed so vast, so different than anything he had ever seen. But he remembered the sadness and heartbreak of leaving his mother. Was he pushing the same thing on Leia now?

Still, the desire to take her away with him burned within him. He wanted a family, a real family and that included his daughter Leia. How could he not want her now that he knew her? Still that feeling of ill foreboding was still with him. As a Sith he was supposed to be fearless but then why was his mind full of doubt and worry? Perhaps things were happening too fast for him to get a grip on. He was confused as to who he was now. One moment he was Lord Vader in his breath mask and then he was miraculously healed, had his wife and children at his side. It was like a whirlwind of sand off of the Tatooine desert, the kind that blew out of nowhere in a heartbeat.

"We'll go look for her. I'm sure she's fine." Obi-Wan promised with a somewhat weak smile. "I seem to recall a certain padawan that ran off often to illegal races when his master wasn't watching."

"I admit I snuck out, Obi-Wan, but that was me. It is not her though. People generally do not change their habits." Anakin briskly turned and strode for the door, his dark brown cloak trailing outward behind him. As he went, he stretched outward with the Force. It should be easy to find her now that he had met her. He could sense the coolness of the nearby trees and plants, life rich in the Living Force. Farther away he could feel the hum of the school and the lives it contained. There was the inky dark stain that was Palpatine waiting for him and Obi-Wan glowed with the force, but where was Leia?

"And I told you it's been a trying day for her I'm sure!" Obi-Wan ran after Anakin and quickly caught up. He reached out with his hand and grabbed the taller man by his shoulder, stopping him from reaching the exit. The stiff edge of the leather tabard was warm against his palm. The older Jedi leaned closer, his words a harsh whisper. "And if she is missing, perhaps your new master took her! Palpatine cannot be trusted, Anakin! It's why they were hidden!"

"Palpatine would not harm them." Anakin replied with certainty. "Why would he? They're just children."

"Why were the Younglings killed?" Obi-Wan asked him, a haunted look in his blue eyes as he recalled the awful video he had watched. "They were a threat to him, were they not?"

"That was different. They had training." Anakin objected as frustration started to build up within him. He wanted to find Leia and find her now. His eyes took on a slightly yellowish cast. "You had best help Obi-Wan and don't delay the search any longer. I feel something is amiss here and that my Master is not involved. I realize you'd love to pin this on him, but Palpatine has only done good things for this galaxy."

The older Jedi sighed and felt like washing his hands of the mess, but he knew he couldn't do that. Like it or not, he was stuck here with Anakin without as much as a speeder. Could Anakin really get free of the Dark Side? It seemed hopeless but maybe he could knock some reason into his head. But if he really believed that Palpatine has been helpful to the galaxy…that was a huge obstacle to overcome.

His apprentice turned Sith grabbed his wrist and hauled him outside. Obi-Wan glanced down at the hand that held him, a real hand and not a mechanical contraption. It still unnerved him to see it. "Anakin, I'm not going to run away."

"You had best not. I have no time to deal with your foolishness." Anakin saw Palpatine waiting by the Imperial Shuttle, his Jedi-like robe falling about him in dark folds. The shuttle was parked just outside the gates of Bail Organa's large estate, the ability of its wings to fold allowing it to land almost anywhere.

"Lord Vader," Palpatine said in a loud and commanding voice. "You will be pleased to know I have called your ship. It will be here soon. I have also informed them of your new appearance so there will be no confusion in that regard. Now where is that other child you mentioned? I sense you're worried about her…"

"Yes, Master. She seems to have run off. I thought she was going to school but I fear something has befallen her…"

"Your instincts are often correct, Lord Vader. A child cannot hide on us, whether it's her idea or someone else's. No one can match the power of the Dark Side!" Palpatine bragged as he closed his eyes, his senses reaching outward. He could easily command entire fleets of ships during a battle so finding one hidden child should be simple. And then he sensed something, something out in the coolness of the forest. A taint of sorts, but just a faint whisper of it, like an echo. An ugly scowl appeared on his face then as he pondered what it meant. Someone, an unknown someone with a Sith-like aura was out there interfering in his plans! His yellowish red eyes snapped open. "Lord Vader, I fear it is as you thought. Someone has snatched your child away. I did not foresee this…"

"So you admit it!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as he pointed a finger at Palpatine. "You took her!"

"Don't be an idiot!" Palpatine glared at the annoying Jedi. "Of course I didn't take her! I didn't even know he had children. The Jedi were always jumping to the wrong conclusions. You could never get anything right."

"Then you ordered someone to do it for you. I heard you have that assassin…"

Palpatine itched to beat the Jedi on the head with his cane, hoping it would knock some sense into him but he feared it was a lost cause. "I wouldn't waste Jade on some stuffy-nosed, sticky-fingered kid. She hunts down real threats, like on the run Jedi. What I felt was like a Sith, dark as starless night. The energy signature was unknown to me…"

"Another Sith…?" Anakin's heart skipped a beat and his blood ran cold in his veins. "A Sith took my daughter?"

"Ani, what will we do?" Padme cried in worry as she clung to Anakin's arm. She didn't know why she was taking Palpatine's words at face value, as she knew he couldn't be trusted. Perhaps it was the shock of it. Just the thought of her innocent little daughter kidnapped by some strange Sith sent chills through her. She instantly tightened her grip on Luke's arm, fearful he might be snatched too.

"We'll find her!" Anakin promised as he took off running into the woods. The trees passed in a blur as he followed the path Leia would have followed to school. Off to the side there was a grassy clearing with a large rock that made a handy seat. With confidence he ran up to it and skidded to a halt, the faint whiff of darkness telling him this was the spot the unknown Sith had been. The trace was faint and fading fast, but he was certain it was not anyone he knew.

Soon the others joined him, including Palpatine.

Obi-Wan could feel the darkness near the rock, too. It made his skin crawl. Somehow the faint trace felt even darker than Palpatine, but surely that was just insane. His senses were probably playing tricks on him so he kept the thought to himself. "Well, it certainly feels like a Sith. But I thought there can only be a Master and an Apprentice?"

"There are many who enjoy pretending they are Sith." Palpatine reminded the Jedi. "Or have you forgotten Ventress so quickly Master Kenobi? I understood she was a sharp pebble in your boot. She was never trained by me and yet she had the skills of a Sith."

Anakin stalked around the rock, looking for any clues as to where the Sith took his daughter but he didn't see any. The grass was not crushed flat from a landing spacecraft and the intermingled tree branches overhead were not damaged. And although he reached outward as far as he could, he couldn't sense the foreign Sith anywhere else. "But they can't just disappear!"

Obi-Wan watched in worry as Anakin's feelings built and built like a pot of water ready to boil over. His hands were clutched into tight fists and he could feel the fury mounting.

Anakin was falling to the Dark Side again and he was powerless to stop it.

TBC…

I know this is short but I wanted to get it posted. Since I reread Wish about a week ago I had to come up with a plot to continue the story and I have done that now. And yes, I remember who the villain is. I'm going to try to finish this one before I tackle another, but I'll keep trying to update "I'm Sorry Master" as comedy is a nice break from the drama.


	12. Executor Arrives

Wish 12

"How did this unknown Sith even know about Leia?" Anakin asked as he stood there feeling helpless. "The Sith could not have possibly know she was my daughter. Even I didn't know that until a very short time ago. If we are to find her, we must find the reason for her kidnapping."

"This may have nothing to do with us at all…" Palpatine stated as he leaned heavily on his cane to further the deception he was a helpless old man. His reddish eyes scanned the area however, alert for the slightest motion. Only birds sang in the trees and mindless animals scuttled in the brush; the Sith Master paid them no heed for they were unimportant. "She may have been a target for a long time and the unknown Sith only acted now. This may be related to Bail Organa. Think, Lord Vader. With your current appearance most would not even recognize you. People forget quickly and it has been years since the Jedi fell. As soon as a story falls off of the holonews they forget it totally, so there would be few who could recognize you as you are now."

Anakin realized that his master was right. And the goddess Aphrodite had transported them to Alderaan. It would have been impossible for anyone to follow them. He turned to the Emperor and bowed his head. "You're as wise as ever, My Master. But how will we find her with no trail to follow? The Sith's energy signature just vanishes here."

Palpatine raised a bony hand and pointed it at his loyal apprentice. "You will go investigate Bail Organa. Find out what he knows. And remember images can be deceptive. Senator Organa may claim that Alderaan is crime-free but just because he boasts of that in the Senate does not make it true. Clearly crime exists here."

"But I know Bail…" Obi-Wan quickly said in defense of his good friend. "He would never do this! He would never kidnap his own daughter and be in some secret deal with a Sith. He despises Sith and cares for the common good!"

"I did not say _he_ did it, Master Kenobi." Palpatine replied coolly as he turned his gaze onto the Jedi. "I simply meant he may have enemies. People in power usually do. I seem to recall you excelled at searching databases and doing research. Is that not true? Why don't you put those skills to use again instead of hiding out wherever you have been all of these long years?"

The fact that the hated Emperor was giving him orders annoyed him greatly. He was not one of Palpatine's employees, he was a Jedi Knight! Still, he wanted to help Padme, Bail and Anakin. He gaze fell on Padme who stood there with wet tears glistening in her eyes, young Luke clutched in her arms. The boy was looking about wide-eyed at the trees that surrounded them. No doubt he had never seen trees before and to him it was a truly amazing sight. The child didn't realize yet his new sister was gone or so the Jedi sensed. Luke was still innocent in the ways of the world and that lightened the Jedi's heart. "Very well, I will help Anakin on the case."

"Good, good!" Palpatine grinned, revealing a mouth of yellowed teeth. His breath stank too, the odor akin to a badly decomposed corpse.

The Jedi grimaced in utter disgust. Palpatine looked truly horrible, his skin decaying on him while he was still alive. It further stressed the fact that using the Dark Side was wrong in his mind's eye, as who would want to look like that? The Jedi was not vain, but there was one's health to consider too. It the Dark Side wrecked your body and ruined your internal organs, than surely it was just as bad as illegal drugs!

With one final look at the towering trees about them, Anakin turned on his heel and started back to Bail Organa's large home. He just hoped he could uncover a lead he could follow before something awful happened to his young daughter. He passed through the wrought iron gates and entered the lavish home without bother to announce himself. Organa was now a suspect in a kidnapping and thus he had few rights. The Empire will take over and justice would prevail. The perpetrators, whoever they were, would be caught and punished. Darkness seethed inside Anakin as his sharp eyes scanned the room he was in, looking for any possible evidence. The place would be sealed off, of course. Leia's room needed to be searched as well. Any small bit of evidence might be important.

A voice floated to his ears. Anakin tilted his head, listening. It was Bail Organa. The Senator was in his office and speaking on the comlink, apparently unaware of his presence. The Sith Lord decided to use this to his advantage. He carefully snuck up near the open door and listened, one hand raised to the others for silence.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Celly, she's gone!" Bail wailed miserably on the comlink. "But where could she be? She's always gone to school before and now she's missing! I don't know what to think and then on top of that the Empire is here…!"

The Sith Lord reached out with the Force towards Bail, easily examining him. His grief felt genuine as did his worry. It would take a skilled actor to trick him and he doubted if the man had the ability. He decided to reveal his presence then and stepped into Bail's office. "Senator Organa…"

Bail tore his dark worry-filled eyes off of the plump woman who he had been speaking to on the comlink and onto the Sith Lord. "Did you find her? Please told me you found her!"

"No, we did not find her. It appears she may have been kidnapped by someone…" Anakin informed him as he tried to keep his voice level and his emotions under control. It would be far too easy to just reach out and Force-choke the man in anger and then he'd never find his daughter. But he felt frustrated and that bode ill. And it was frustrating. He had desired a family for so long and then to meet his young daughter so briefly only to have her snatched away! It was so unfair…!

"Kidnapped!" Bail gasped as his dark eyes grew wide as dinner plates, his entire body stiffening. "Leia was kidnapped? But why…why would anyone take her?"

"Actually Bail," Obi-Wan said as he stepped forward to stand next to Anakin, the Jedi placing a calming hand on his former student's shoulder. "We were hoping you could answer that question."

"But I have no idea!" The Senator gasped as he ran a tanned hand over his face. "She's just a girl!"

"But you must have enemies." Anakin stated as he stared coldly at the shocked man. "Think! Who would wish you harm?"

"I… I don't know!" Bail cried as he got to his feet and started to nervously pace around his small office. He wrung his hands together and his posture was of sagged shoulder. "You know how the Senate is… many of us cannot agree on things but it has always been that way. It does not mean we go out and kidnap someone because we do not agree with their beliefs or policy!"

Anakin's hopes of finding a fast lead to follow sunk and he seethed, gritting his teeth. The instinct to lash out to get a quicker response itched but he fought it down. Some people, he knew, were simply stupid and it was possible Bail may be one of them. His enemy may behave friendly to his face while plotting behind his back. It was what a Sith would do. It was in fact what Palpatine had done as well, very successfully in fact. "Is there _anything_ you can tell us? Did you receive any strange comcalls recently or has a stranger been spotted lurking about? Did Leia mention anything out of the ordinary of late? Have you received any threats?"

"No, none of that!" Bail wailed as he continued to wring his hands. "It's been peaceful as it usually is here…"

"Are you involved in any sort of criminal activity?" Anakin asked next.

"No, of course not!" Bail seemed outraged at the question and his eyes flashed with righteous anger. "I would never do that sort of thing. I have morals. I have always done the best I could for my planet and my family. I have lived a clean and somewhat simple life. Yes, I'm a wealthy Senator but I do not gamble or purchase ant sort of illegal substance. I don't get involved in schemes for more money."

"Many wealthy politicians _do_ engage in criminal matters." Anakin pointed out as he moved closer to the senator, studying him. As he sensed before, the man was apparently telling the truth. "What of other crimes on Alderaan? Have there been any other kidnappings or disappearances reported?"

Bail blinked at the words, his eyes wet with tears. "Disappearances? I think I did read a few of those that came across my desk in the past few months. I didn't think much of them, though, as all involved adults. I had just presumed they had moved for whatever reason, perhaps off planet, and failed to tell the person who reported them missing. No life is perfect, not even on Alderaan. A wife may chose to flee on an abusive husband, that sort of thing."

"It may or may not be related." Obi-Wan stated as he gazed sadly at Bail, knowing the man would not like what was coming next. Bail was his old friend from the days of the Old Republic but he hadn't been close to him for years. He still firmly believed the man was innocent in the kidnapping case, but Anakin had made a strong point earlier: the Bail had the most to gain from the girl disappearing. She would be protected and hidden away from the Empire … except there was a strange Sith involved. He just couldn't imagine Bail getting involved with Sith, unless it had been forced onto him. There was little a regular person could do against a Force user. "But it is a fact that in most kidnappings of children that a family member is involved."

Bail's eyes grew wide at the words. "Surely you don't think my sisters are involved in this! They would never do this! They all love Leia as if she were their own!"

"Bail. She was taken for a reason. This was not some random snatching of a child." Obi-Wan moved closer to his old friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Rest assured, we will do everything we can to find her."

He hadn't mentioned the Sith on purpose. It would just confuse the already grief stricken man.

"We're going to search the premises for any evidence, any clues…" Anakin informed Senator Organa. "Do not interfere."

Instead of objecting, the Senator caved in right away. "If it will help find my daughter…"

Bail went to sit in the breakfast nook, his head in his hands as he wept for his missing daughter.

000

The _Executor _arrived in orbit of Alderaan and stormtroopers were sent down to help. The strong presence might help prevent further crime, especially if the other missing persons were related to Leia's disappearance. It was a long shot that the cases were related but one never knew.

Captain Piett nervously straightened his grey uniform and made sure his hat was straight on his head. He had been shocked when a call from the Emperor himself had come in for him, ordering him to bring the ship to Alderaan. And then there was that bit of Lord Vader changing his appearance. He didn't understand it nor the bit that Lord Vader was on Alderaan. How had he gotten there without leaving _Executor_ in a shuttle? They had been nowhere near that planet and had only just arrived after sometime in hyperspace. He wiped his sweaty hands on his crisp uniform pants and swallowed the lump in his throat. He really didn't want to enter Bail Organa's home as apparently both Lord Vader and the Emperor were there, but he had no choice. So he took a deep breath to calm himself and opened the door, walking in.

He spotted the Emperor right away, the elderly but incredibly powerful man dressed in his usual dark colored robe with the hood. A cane was gripped tightly in his hand and several red cloaked Imperial Guards hovered in the background, Force Pikes at the ready should they be needed.

A young man came out of a nearby room just then. He had intense blue eyes and rather long wavy brown hair. He wore dark brown clothing, including a leather tabard. A darker brown almost black cloak flowed from his shoulders down to the floor. Piett's sharp eyes noted the silver handle of a lightsaber hanging from his belt and the way he walked with confidence, his head held erect. He took large steps, steps that reminded the captain of Lord Vader.

Could it possibly be…? The Emperor had informed him that Lord Vader had changed his appearance but this…? Piett saw the young confident man was heading his way and he gulped nervously again, his mouth suddenly bone dry. He had tried to imagine what Lord Vader may look like under that mysterious mask as he was sure everyone did, but he had never dreamed of actually _seeing_ him. Yet maybe…

"Captain Piett…" Anakin said in a commanding voice.

"Yes, My Lord?" Piett nervously guessed, as he was rather good at guessing what Darth Vader wanted ahead of time. It was how he had survived for so long.

"Yes, it is me, Captain Piett." Anakin confirmed as he gazed at his most loyal employee. He could depend on Piett and that was something he needed now more than ever. Unlike Obi-Wan, he didn't have to worry about Piett running away. "First of all, I need larger quarters aboard _Executor_. My wife and children will be coming to live aboard the ship with me."

"W-w-wife, My Lord?" Piett stuttered as his eyes grew as round as large eggs. He had never imagined that Lord Vader would have a wife or a child netherless children! With that cold and emotionless mask, he had presumed the mysterious man lived a soloitary life in the military, akin to a droid and now to find out he had a family!

"Yes, my wife." Anakin turned then, his intense gaze falling on a young woman wearing a pastel light-weight dress. She had dark hair and a young boy held in her arms, the boy about eight-years-old. "Padme, come here."

The woman hurried over, her dark eyes filled with worry for some unknown reason.

Piett stared at her, pondering for a second how she had ever meet Lord Vader. Then he quickly tore his eyes off of her and back onto his lord less the Sith Lord grows angry about him looking at her. With Lord Vader one never knew and people died mysteriously, gurgling horribly as invisible hands choked them.

"This is my wife, Padme and my son, Luke." Anakin told him. "You will take them to _Executor_ where they will be safe."

"Ani!" Padme protested hotly, her dark eyes flashing at him. "I don't want to hide on some ship! I want to stay here and to help find our daughter! And Bail is my dear friend! He needs me here to show support…"

Piett's eyes grew wider. _Lord Vader's name is "Ani"?_

He gulped, hoping he won't be killed for overhearing that. It was no secret that Lord Vader's real name was a huge secret.

"Our son's safety has to come first. Do you want him to be snatched, too?" Anakin asked as his eyes took on a softer expression. "Please, Padme. It'll be hard enough for me to find Leia. I don't want to be worrying about you and Luke, too. The ship is the safest place and then I can concentrate on finding our daughter."

Padme sighed. "All right. I know when to compromise."

Piett was already thinking of what rooms on the ship would suffice for a family living arrangement. Lord Vader's old room would never work, that was certain. Then he recalled the lavish state rooms that had in case visiting dignitaries came aboard and he sighed with relief. The rooms were hardly ever used and might be dusty. He needed to send someone to clean them this very moment less his Lord be displeased! He licked his dry lips slightly to moisten them. "At once, My Lord. Is there anything else you desire?"

"Yes, send down some officers to help with this case. The locals are apparently incompetent. My young daughter has been kidnapped and I intend to get her back."

"At once, My Lord." Piett promised. He sure wouldn't want to be the kidnapper for he was going to get smashed like a bug when Vader got his hands on him.

Piett left then, one hand holding onto Padme's arm to make sure she accompanied him to the shuttle. He certainly wasn't going to lose her, not when Vader expected him to keep her safe.

"Well, I can't find any dirt on Bail." Obi-Wan informed Anakin as he strode into the room. "I've gone through his records and his computer and he seems to be as clean as he said he is. He does have three sisters though. They all live on Alderaan. One was involved in the Refugee Relief Movement and seems interested in affairs off planet; the other two seem uninterested in such things."

"And what of those disappearances?" Anakin asked.

"Well, they seem…"

Obi-Wan's words were interrupted by an Imperial Officer, one of the new ones that had been sent down by Captain Piett. "Lord Vader? Some bodies were just discovered…"

TBC…

I found this chapter a bit boring but I think it moves the plot forward. The next one should be better as they go investigate.


	13. Luke and Leia

Wish 13: Luke and Leia

Note: Here is another chapter for you, a Halloween treat!

000

Young Luke stared wide-eyed at the long and never-ending hallway aboard _Executor_. He didn't understand why his mother had taken him first onto the strange shuttle and now brought him to this weird place. Worst, it was _freezing_! "Where are we going? Can we go back to the place with the waterfalls?"

"We're going to live here now." Padme said as she clutched his arm, her grip too tight. "This is your father's ship, _Executor_."

Luke gazed up at her. She had a smile on her pretty face but he could tell there was something wrong with it. For one, it didn't look real. It was the kind of fake smile his Aunt Beru would put on sometimes when his Uncle Owen was angry about something and she tried to hide it from him. But he could hear their heated words during the night, the closed doors doing nothing to keep the sound out of his tiny bedroom. Often the fights were about money or the lack of it. A moister farmer didn't make very much and life was hard with difficult choices. Should they spend the rare credits on this or on that?

Then he noticed her eyes looked puffy, as she had been crying. He recalled the wild rush into the trees – they had been awesome and he had just stared at them open mouthed, all of that green so up high – and the high tension. _Something_ had been going on but he didn't know what. Everyone but him seemed to be interested in some dumb old rock but it was just a rock. Tatoonie had tons of rocks. No one wanted them and you could just walk out into the desert and take any one you wanted. Not that _he_ would do that, no, the monsters lived out there! But he didn't have to worry about the monsters anymore as he had his father now and his mother as well. The desert was far away…

"Live here? Why would anyone want to live here?" Luke complained as he was led yet farther down the mindless corridor. It was white, really white and the floor was super shiny. He could see himself in the floor like a mirror and that was just dumb. People didn't need to see themselves when they walked somewhere. "It's freezing and we've been walking like forever!"

"These ships are large but it's safe here." Padme explained to him as they continued to follow Captain Piett. "This nice man works for your father. He's the captain of the ship. Maybe if you behave you could go see the bridge."

Excitement coursed through his tiny body as he thought of visiting the bridge. From watching holovids that his Uncle had deemed OK for him, he knew the bridge was a special place. Only the best people could go there! And better yet, his dumb sister hadn't been invited! YES!

Then her words replayed in his mind and he frowned. "What do you mean it's safe here? Wasn't it safe in that castle we visited?"

Padme stopped and knelt down before him, her eyes wet. "I know you don't understand Luke, but your sister is missing! Someone has taken her and we don't know who or why. Your father and I want to keep you safe, so we brought you here. I know you feel cold, but we'll get you warm clothes and lots of thick blankets. In time you'll adjust to the temperature change.

Luke's blue eyes grew wide at the words. "Why would someone want such a bossy girl for?"

He could see she tried to smile at his words but the smile faltered, failing.

"I don't know, sweetie, I really don't."

His mother stood and they continued down the hallway. Loud sounds came to his ears then and soon a bunch of stormtroopers appeared. They were dressed in black and white armor, their faces hidden by masks. Luke gawked at them open-mouthed and they seemed to stare back at him. For all he knew he may be the only child aboard the warship. Star Destroyers were war ships, right? They were in the exciting holovids he had seen. Maybe he could see a real laser gun!

But his mother seemed really sad about the fact that his sister was missing. Did she really mean so much? He couldn't see why as she seemed like any other girl at school and there were plenty of girls at school…he barely knew his sister.

"Why don't you ask Aunt Dite where Leia went? If you call her, I'm sure she'll come!" Luke said as if it were an everyday thing to call on a goddess. "Aunt Dite can make wishes come true! If she can do that, I'm sure she can bring my annoying sister back … but are you sure you _want_ her back? She thinks I'm stupid!"

Padme paused again, her dark eyes growing wide as saucers. She bent down and scooped Luke up into her arms, a true grin on her face. "Luke, you're a genius!"

000

Princess Leia stared with wide eyes at the new surroundings. One moment she had been in the forest just outside her home talking to the blonde woman and then in a heartbeat she was _here_, wherever here was. She stood in a huge field of wildflowers and tall grasses, a mountain rising up into the blazing blue sky just overhead. The wind blew softly, tugging on the few stray wisps of hair that surrounded her face and had escaped from her braid. Insects buzzed about, the bugs unconcerned with her sudden appearance. She still gripped the hand of the blonde woman and now she turned her head to glance up at her. "Where are we? How did we get here?"

"I live nearby…" The woman replied in a low, husky voice. It was a female voice though, not as low as a man's. The blonde's shoulder length hair lifted off her shoulders in a sudden strong gust of wind, her long robe being tugged by the wind as well. She lifted an arm and pointed at the mountain just ahead. "Just there…"

A bit of nervousness bubbled in Leia's stomach at the totally unfamiliar surroundings. She had wanted to hide and think, yes, but she had thought a home in the town she knew. There were many nice homes surrounding the castle she lived in and it was impossible to know everyone. But she never had a reason to fear a stranger as crime was unheard of on Alderaan. Her father had always said Alderaan was the best place to live in the entire galaxy and she had believed him. She had just wanted to stay with Bail and not go away with those strange people who suddenly showed up out of a dream. But now… She bit her lip, uncertain as to where they were. Was this Alderaan? How had they gotten there without an airspeeder or a ship? "How did we get here?"

"I inherited powers from my father." The blonde woman explained as she knelt down in the grass and flowers before her. Leia could see her better now. She had brown eyes and pale flawless skin. Her hair was like burnished gold, gleaming in the bright sunlight. She had neat bangs that ended just above her eyes – her dark eyebrows just barely visible, and the rest of her hair was pulled neatly back and secured somehow. Her robe was blood red and made from some shiny material, silk maybe. A black design ran across the front of the robe, similar to a "Y" and the edges were decorated in golden thread. It looked expensive and formal, like something her father's wealthy friends would wear.

"You're father?" Leia asked as her mind went to the Jedi nonsense. But then she realized even Jedi couldn't do what this woman had just done. She suddenly recalled Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love she had just met and had dreamed of. _She_ could do this sort of thing easily. "Do you know Aphrodite?"

"Of course I do." The blonde smiled sweetly. "I've known her for eons, her and her brother Ares. We have a lot in common, you and I. It's why I decided to help you."

Leia's brown eyes grew wide at that. She had something in common with a _Goddess_? How could that even be?

"We both have fathers that love us and mothers that left us." The blonde goddess explained with a sad expression on her face as she talked of the past. "Your mother died but mine didn't want me. My mother was very cruel but I just wanted her love."

"I'm sorry…" Leia instantly said as the tale saddened her greatly. She tried to imagine her mother not wanting her and just couldn't.

The blonde stood and started to lead her towards the mountain, the wildflowers and grasses scratching at their clothes. "People say that life here is perfect but that is not true. Did you know there are many unhappy people here on your world, people that are sad, scared and depressed?"

"But Father says Alderaan is the best place to live in the entire galaxy!" Leia exclaimed with wide eyes as she gazed up at her.

"Yes, but your Father is a wealthy Senator and he grew up a Prince. His eyes are closed to the problems the poor suffer."

"We have poor people?" Leia asked as the news truly surprised her.

"Of course Alderaan has poor. Every world does. You live in the capitol city so most people there are rich and you never visited the outskirts of the city, have you? Instead your father takes you to vacation homes in the countryside to spare your eyes from the poverty. But I bring these people hope for a better future."

Leia could see a dark opening on the mountain ahead now, like a cave. Soon they would be there. She wasn't too sure if she liked caves though, as they were dark, damp and might contain scary bugs that could bite her. But she wanted to help her people, too. If this goddess could do that than she would be brave and enter the cave. Maybe she didn't need to grow up before doing good things for her people; maybe she could help them now.

"But that isn't the _real_ problem…" The goddess said as she paused just before the cave opening, turning to face the young princess. "We have a bigger one…"

"What is it?" Leia asked.

"The problem is the Empire and the Emperor." The blonde simply said. "He is not a nice man and he is slowly changing things. He is taking more and more power for himself. Soon he will disband the Senate and _all_ of the power will be his. It will no longer be a democracy but a dictatorship. It is almost that way now as he holds so much power."

Princess Leia nodded. She had heard the worries about the Senate from her father. Bail often came home grumbling about things, about how things had been better and different during the Old Republic. It was no secret her father disliked Palpatine. "But what can we do?"

"If I get enough followers, I can change things for the better with my powers. Surely you saw what Aphrodite could do, yes? We are not limited like Jedi or Sith; we have _all_ of the powers." The blonde smiled down at her. "Wouldn't that be nice? Things could grow better for everyone. People would be happy. One wouldn't have to worry about stormtroopers rapping on your door in the middle of the night to haul you away for some imagined crime. Planets could return to the people who rightly rule there instead of a garrison commander appointed by the Emperor."

Leia listened wide-eyed and nodded without actually understanding how the goddess could fix all of that. But she was a goddess and had magic, _real_ magic! Surely if anyone could fix it, it would be her?

"Come inside my home now." The blonde invited as she stepped into the cave's mouth. A short distance in the floor turned into smooth stone and carved pillars supported the ceiling. Tiny windows let in pillars of white light and torches burned on the walls. People in long red robes hurried about doing things. All in all, it was not as Leia had expected at all. This was not a cave but a building of sorts. Her imagined fear of bugs vanished as she quickly realized there would be no nasty spiders here. The place was spotless and clean.

"These are my priests and priestesses…" The goddess explained as she indicated the people in the long plain red robes. Only the goddess's robe had the black design on it.

Then a familiar voice called out to her.

"Leia! Thank the goddess you're safe!" A woman called as she hurried over to them, a broad smile on her face. Like the others, she wore one of the bright red robes. "I just couldn't let those people take you, especially not _them_. Did you know he's a Sith Lord? He's _evil_, Leia, evil! He'll twist you into an evil person just as horrible as he is!"

"Auntie, what are you doing here?" Leia's mouth dropped open at the unexpected sight. "And _who's_ a Sith Lord?"

"Your father, Darth Vader!" Her aunt explained as she knelt on the stone floor before the young girl. "All Sith's have the title of "Darth" and he is not any different!"

"So you mean he really _is_ Darth Vader?" Leia exclaimed wide-eyed. "I thought Luke was making that up!"

But somehow she sensed it was true. Her thin body started to shiver as the air seemed to drop twenty degrees if not more. Bail's actions started to make more sense, his wild-eyed panic and how he had tried to pull her away from the newcomers. And hadn't he seemed _scared_ of the man with the wavy tresses? Yes, he had. Her heart beat rapidly, the pulse thudded in her forehead and at her wrists. What would have happened if they _had_ taken her away? At the time she was just worried about losing Bail who she loved but she realized it may have been far worst indeed. If he were _evil_…

"Oh, Auntie!" Leia cried as she threw her arms about her aunt's warm shoulders and buried her face in her chest. "What am I going to do? He wants to take me away from Bail and I don't want to go! And now to learn he's an evil man, a Sith..!"

"Don't cry, Leia." Her aunt told her as she wiped the tears from her face with a soft white hanky. "The Goddess will protect you. You're safe here. Now let's get you settled in your new room."

Leia followed her aunt and the pretty blonde goddess deeper into the temple and to her new room.

000

"You're quarters, Ma'am." Captain Piett said politely as he led the way into the freshly cleaned room. He stood in the center of the room at attention, his hands clasped behind his back. It was large and spacious, just the thing for a family or so he hoped. Plush rugs covered the floor and expensive furniture was arranged in the appropriate spots. Lovely paintings with gild frames hung on the walls; they were refreshing landscapes no one could object to. The doorframes had fancy moldings from another era as did the ceiling with its burnished copper tiles. A lavish chandelier hung above the long dining table, a thing any visiting dignitary would surely expect. "The apartment has five bedrooms, all fully decorated. Is there anything else you desire?"

"Yes, Luke needs warmer clothes and some warm blankets. He's from Tatoonie and isn't used to being on a spaceship. It makes him feel cold." Padme quickly told the man in the gray uniform.

Piett gulped, his eyes growing wide at the unexpected request. Where in the world is he going to get _children's_ clothing from? The ship was not equipped with such things at all! It was a military vessel and only held uniforms and stormtrooper armor! But if he didn't get it, Lord Vader might _kill_ him! "I shall get it at once, Ma'am. Is there a particular size?"

Padme quickly told him what size Luke wore and then watched him leave. Once he was gone, she slumped down onto a sofa and pulled her son onto her lap, wrapping her arms about him. She would call the blonde goddess now and hoped she would appear. Truthfully, she still had a hard time grasping the situation: being alive again, Ani possibly being freed from the Dark Side, Ani being the son of some god she had never even heard of and that strange blonde woman in the transparent pink outfit! It was like something from a bizarre dream…still, it may be her only hope to get her daughter back.

"Aphrodite!" Padme called to the empty room, hoping beyond hope the blonde would hear her and appear.

And with a loud pop and pink sparkles, there she was!

"You rang?" Aphrodite asked with a grin on her face. She waved a hand in the air and a thick, fuzzy blanket appeared on Luke's shoulders. Eagerly the young boy wrapped it about himself, thankful for the warmth. It almost had a furry texture and he cuddled in it up to his nose. Even the pinkness didn't bother him, as being warm at the moment was far more important.

"I realize you must be very busy," Padme said carefully as she relied on her training as a Queen and a Senator. "But someone has taken my daughter, Leia. I would be forever grateful if you could find her for us."

At the words, Aphrodite's mouth gaped open. "Somebody _took_ her? Why in the world would they do that? I here I thought I got your little family back together!"

Aphrodite stamped her pink high heel shoe on the floor, clearly annoyed, and her hands tightened into fists. "How dare someone interfere in my plan! I'll give awful luck to whoever it was! I'll hex them!"

"Please, can you find her?" Padme asked as her heart filled with hope. "Ani thinks it was a Sith that took her…"

"A Sith? Oh, please! A Sith can't do anything to me!" Aphrodite waved her hand, dismissing the worry.

There was another loud pop and a burst of bluish-white light. A tall man stood there then, his dark eyes looking at the pink-clothed goddess. He had wavy black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. A silver earring in the shape of an old-fashioned metal-bladed sword hung from one ear. A studded leather vest covered his chest while black leather pants and black boots completed the outfit. A big sword hung at his waist, the blade tucked away in a leather scabbard. "Sis, we have a problem. _She's_ back."

"Who?" Aphrodite asked her brother Ares.

"Hope."

TBC…

Note: I wanted to post this yesterday but only got half way through it. Had to stop due to discovering a gas leak, but here it is now. This chapter was easy to write.


	14. Ares

Wish 14

Here is another chapter!

000

When she heard her brother's words, Aphrodite's face fell and she wrapped her arms about herself, shivering. "Not her, not Hope!"

"Who's Hope?" Padme asked as a cold fear gripped her heart. The fact that the news had upset the blonde Goddess was not a good omen. In fact, it was very bad. What did a Goddess have to fear when she had the power and ability to do anything she desired? Aphrodite's powers made Anakin look like a mere child when he had been considered the most powerful Jedi before his fall to the Dark Side. And if the Goddess was scared of this Hope what could they possibly do to her?

"She's the daughter of Dahak." Ares explained to her as a frown marred his face. "Basically she's an evil goddess that loves bloodshed and destruction. Her father is even worst. At the moment he's trapped in an alternate realm but he wants to get free. The last time that happened it wasn't pretty. I suspect that's what Hope wants now: to free her father."

Padme tightened her grip on Luke until he yelped in pain and she suddenly realized what she had been doing, loosening her hold on him. Then she recalled what Palpatine and Ani had said of the other unknown Sith…what if it hadn't been a Sith at all that had taken her daughter but the Goddess Hope? If she were evil as these Gods claimed, her energy signature would be dark and she might have been mistaken for a Sith. But no, it couldn't be…could it? If this Hope had Leia, how would she ever get her back? Padme's heart pounded loudly in her ears, the other noises in the room seeming to fade. She could feel her heart beating, too, thump, thump, thump… "Please Aphrodite! You have to get Leia and bring her to me…! I'll do anything!"

But the blonde Goddess who had seemed so carefree and confident continued to shiver in her transparent pink outfit, a white bikini underneath it. "I would love to Sweat Pea, but I can't go there!"

Padme leaned forward at the words, eager for any news at all about her daughter. "But you know where she is?"

"Yes, I can sense Leia and for the moment she's unharmed. Hope has her in her temple." Aphrodite looked worried beyond belief, frightened even. "I know you don't understand, but she can destroy us! She's destroyed other pantheons before, like the Sumerian Gods. And we're weak right now. Our powers aren't what they used to be."

Her worst fears realized, Padme didn't know what she should do. Crying wouldn't help nor would pacing the floors. And even if she could run into action as in the old days, a powerful blaster in her hand, it would prove useless. The Goddess Hope was probably just as immune to blaster bolts as Palpatine was. It would probably feel like a tickle from a feather. No, she had to stay here and protect Luke, if that even were possible.

"Don't ask my sis to fight her." Ares told her with a hard look in his dark eyes. "She's a lover, not a fighter. The most she could do is turn Hope's clothing pink or some other equally stupid thing."

Aphrodite punched Ares on his upper arm, clearly annoyed. "Hey! My powers aren't totally useless! I once pulled a star out of the night sky! It made such pretty jewelry!"

Padme gasped at the bit about the star. She had no idea that the blonde goddess could even do something along those lines. All stars were really suns; they just appeared as tiny bits of light due to the distance involved. Had some innocent world frozen to death because their sun was yanked away to be worn around the blonde's neck as a sparkly gem – the thought was frightening.

The War God shook his head. "This is a job for a hero. Gee, I wonder where I could find one these days?"

"Anakin…" She blurted when she felt the God's intense gaze fall on her. She had no idea how her husband could possibly take on this Hope and come out on the top. It seemed impossible and a lost cause, but they couldn't give up, either! "Anakin can do it! The Jedi always said he was the Chosen One but they never actually explained what that meant. Do you know?"

Ares rolled his eyes. "Of course I know! I'm a real God, aren't I? He's supposed to follow in Hercules footsteps: be a heroic demigod and then later become a full god, but he has to earn that. He's been off on the wrong track for a long time until Sis here woke him up. He's supposed to replace Nemesis and bring balance. Nemesis died a long time ago. She was widely known as the Goddess of Revenge or Divine Retribution, but she also handed out fortune in equal measure to all."

The former Queen of Naboo gasped at this. Ani was going to become a god? It seemed too insane to believe!

"I have to go knock some heads in…" Ares popped out in a bright flash.

"I'm out of here, too! Tootles!" A pink flash and Aphrodite vanished, too.

Luke gaped up at his mother. "What does 'tootles' mean?"

000

Anakin and Obi-Wan stared down at the discovered bodies they had been lead to by a farmer. The man had found them by accident when he went for a stroll down by the river near his farmland. He had thought to take a few hours break and get some fishing in, as the crops were growing well and everything had been done. There were neither weeds to pull nor plants to tie to stakes. And so he had carefully climbed down the steep hill to the bank of the river, a fishing pole on his shoulder. He then headed to his favorite spot where the river bended, as he generally caught fish easily there. But instead of fish he had seen bodies snagged on some branches that had gotten stuck on some rocks in the river.

"I… I just stared at them for the longest time!" The farmer told them, his body trembling. "I mean, I half expected them to vanish like the morning mist! There was no way they could be real…but the longer I stared at them the more real they became. And so I thought they might have drowned…so I called the local authorities. I just never heard of anyone finding bodies on Alderaan before!"

"It's all right…" Obi-Wan soothed the upset man as he placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "You did well. We'll find out who they are. Just go about your business."

The Jedi put some of the Force into the last line and he watched the man leave. The farmer was a simple man and worked hard at a noble profession, although many may not see it that way. But without people to grow crops, many people would go hungry and starve.

Anakin was already using the Force to pull the first body out of the river. It floated over to a patch of dry ground along the river bank and settled on its back. The corpse's eyes were open and staring up at the sky without seeing anything. The body was not chewed by fish and not bloated, so it wasn't in the water for very long. The dead man wore a simple white robe, one that tied in the front with a fabric belt about the waist. He was barefoot and his head had been shaved bald.

The Jedi knelt beside the corpse, examining it. "There are marks about both wrists from restraints. It appears he was held captive somewhere before he died and was then tossed into the river. From his lack of bloating, I'd say he wasn't in the water long at all…"

And it was obvious what had killed him: a hole in the center of his chest.

"That's not from a blaster…" Anakin added as he too stared at the wound. "There's no charring at all. And it's certainly not from a lightsaber. Could it be a knife injury?"

Although it was modern days, it was well known some people still preferred more primitive weapons. Knives were still effective, especially if the victim didn't expect anything. A person's throat could be sliced open in mere seconds to spill their life down their chest and onto the floor.

"Possibly…" Obi-Wan examined the next copse after Anakin freed it from the water and found the same marks about the wrists. The others after that were all the same with the same modus operandi or M.O. Some were males and a few were females but otherwise they were the same and even wore the same white robes. The Jedi stood, an uneasy feeling growing in his stomach. "I do hope this isn't related to Leia's disappearance…"

"It looks like a serial killer…" Anakin replied glumly, his blue eyes dark and cast in shadow by his brows. "This is the sort of thing I've been cleaning up working for Palpatine. The local authorities don't know how to handle cases like these anymore, not on a supposedly peaceful planet as Alderaan."

"Anakin, don't be ridiculous!" Obi-Wan snorted. "Palpatine is a Sith! He doesn't care about some serial killer!"

"But he does care! He cares about the people, all of the people and not just the super rich ones!" The Sith Lord insisted as he reached out to his former master. "Look into my mind and you'll know it's true! He's been doing good things! He's built schools that anyone can attend."

The Jedi scoffed at the mere suggestion but he felt Anakin's mind open to him, inviting him in. As linked as they were now, a deep and proper bond, he could dive right in. Still, he hesitated. He felt uncomfortable invading the other's privacy. It was stupid really, as Anakin was a Sith or had been a Sith and he should know what he had been up to during the time gap as Lord Vader but part of him didn't want to know. Watching the Younglings murdered and struck down in cold blood had been just too horrifying and he doubted if he could stand seeing more things like that. And Anakin's memeries would be in a first person viewpoint, which was even worst in the Jedi's mind.

"Are you still scared of our bond?" Anakin asked. Disbelief was clear in his voice and his eyes looked sad. The sadness there surprised the Jedi as he hadn't expected a Sith to feel that. But there it was clear as day. And he could feel the other's emotion pouring through the link.

"Poor Master. It's horrible what the Jedi have done to you…" Anakin stated as he stood there with his mind still open and inviting him in.

"The Jedi?" Obi-Wan stared at the other feeling a mix of confusion and annoyance. "The Jedi haven't done anything to me!"

"Oh, but they have. They made you nervous and scared of social situations, haven't they? You'll never feel or experience love and the idea of family is totally foreign to you. Humans are not meant to live out their lives as emotionless as a droid, locking every warm feeling away because it may lead to attachment as that was forbidden. And those lonely years watching over Luke has only made it worst I fear." Anakin stood there calmly gazing at him with those intense blue eyes of his. At least they were blue for the moment. With Anakin one never knew as he had wild emotional swings and they could turn to Sith red at any moment.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive manner, leaning backward slightly on his heels. "You misunderstand, Anakin. I'm holding back because I fear what I might find in that head of yours. I haven't forgotten what you did at the Temple all those years ago and I don't want to see any more. It's enough to give me nightmares."

"But I've been doing only good things, things you would approve of!" The younger man insisted as his voice rose in volume and tone. His wavy tresses blew in a sudden burst of wind and his dark chocolate brown cape fluttered as well. He looked identical to the way he looked before that it was uncanny. It was almost as if those long years in the middle had been erased except they hadn't. The memories were still there and the time had passed. The would-be Jedi's eyes darkened then, his brows hooded. "You still don't trust me, do you?"

"Anakin, now hold on!" Obi-Wan raised his palms in the air as he tried to frantically stop the other from a massive meltdown. If that happened and Anakin switched back to Lord Vader, well, he was very likely to lose – fast. The long years on Tatoonie have had their affect and he was far from the powerful Jedi he had been. He had grown older and tired, the hot desert taking a toll on him. Yes, he had tried to keep fit but there really hadn't been a lot for him to do out there. He had grown a tad lazy and out-of-practice. "Look at this from my view point. You were a Sith all of these years and we've been apart. You can't expect me to just trust you implicitly as I had in the old days when you were my padawan. Trust takes time. Then there is the matter of Palpatine. You're still bound to him as well and we now apparently have some weird three-way bond going on! What am I supposed to think about that? Am I just supposed to believe that the Sith Master is a kind grandfatherly figure who gives out sweets to children? He's evil, power hungry and has you wrapped around his little finger!"

Anakin sighed wearily. "You just hate politicians as you always have, that and you're a coward when it comes to revealing your feelings."

The older Jedi allowed some of the tension in his body to bleed into the Force, releasing it. It seemed for the moment Anakin was controlling himself and that was a great relief. He knew it could have lead to a fight, possibly even blows. And while he didn't like being called a coward, he knew Anakin was correct: he was scared to reveal himself, his inner self, to the other. "Yes, Anakin, you're right. I am a coward and I have always been that way. I told you I would second guess and even triple guess myself. I did that all of the time and I never felt confident with the choices I made. I had hoped they were the correct ones and many times they were, but still I felt unsure."

"Perhaps I expect things to happen too fast." Anakin shifted his gaze down to the seven corpses that lay on the bank, water dripping off of them. "Do we have any ID on these people yet? Do they match any of the missing people?"

Obi-Wan turned on his Padd and quickly began flipping through the profiles and photos of the numerous people that had been reported missing. And to his surprise it had been more than just a few. The number was over one hundred, the people coming from all parts of the planet. None of them seemed interconnected and none had known the others. He had gone through records and there had been no comm. Calls between the missing, no written texts, nothing. They all worked different jobs in different fields. Some were single and others married. It was why the cases had not been linked, had not been seen as a bigger more serious problem. A bunch of missing people from one town would ring alarms right away but a single person from each district wouldn't.

His flipping through files stopped, his blue eyes darting from the photo to one of the corpses. It was the bald headed man. He had a particular crook in his nose from it having been broken in the past and so did the man in the photo. The Jedi indicated the man with the tip of his still dusty boot. "This one is in the files. He vanished over two months ago and was reported missing by his worried parents. At first they thought he had a row with his girlfriend and ran off with cold feet but the girlfriend said there had been no fights."

Anakin frowned, waving a hand at the bodies. "But why would a Sith kill these people? They're nobody. It makes no sense!"

"That's because it's not a Sith." A new male voice said from behind them.

Anakin and Obi-Wan turned together upon hearing the unfamiliar voice. Hearing anyone out here in this remote area surprised them, especially someone who knew about the Sith and what that word meant. Most people would not cross endless acres of farmland to gape at some corpses and certainly not the people of Alderaan.

The first thing they noticed about the newcomer was his odd style of dress. He wore a black leather vest that was partly open in the front to reveal a few black chest hairs. Black leather pants and boots completed the outfit, except for the sword scabbard at his side. Both frowned at that, as who in the Force even used metal swords these days? But the scabbard contained a sword all right as they could see the metal hilt poking out. The man had decent arm muscles, muscles that suggested he worked out a lot. His hair was thick and black, a bit wavy. A silver earning hung from one ear in the shape of an old fashioned sword – the straight type called a longsword. He had dark eyes and a neatly trimmed beard. Intense power radiated out of him, clueing them in on the fact he was probably another god like Aphrodite.

"Who are you?" Anakin finally asked after a few moments of silence.

"Ares, Son of Zeus, God of War!" Ares replied as he stood before them with one knee bent. "You're my little bro…"

"I am?" Anakin stared at him in surprise.

"Yeah. Be thankful I didn't pound on you all of these years like I did to that other half mongrel, Hercules." The god threw back his head, laughing to reveal snowy white teeth. "That was my favorite hobby in the good old days, beating up my half-brother. It turned him into a proper hero. I was training him but it sure was a lot of fun…"

Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged glances, unsure what to think. It was clear to them though that Ares was out of their league power wise.

"So this wasn't caused by a Sith?" Anakin cautiously asked as he still felt uneasy with this new god. He had sort of known what to expect from Aphrodite but this one…

"Look, you're my warriors, my warlords!" Ares said as he suddenly gone serious. "I need you to do something for me."

"Excuse me, but Jedi are not warriors." Obi-Wan stated in a calm voice although he felt like quivering inside. No matter how he twisted it around, the title of _God of Wa_r did not sound like a good thing at all. In fact, it sounded very bad. He knew very little of gods as people in the Old Republic had dismissed them long ago as just myths and legends. No one actually believed they existed. Perhaps a few primitive tribes still did but then that was just small isolated groups. And for all he knew, this man before them may be the one responsible for all of the fighting, the Clone Wars and so on. "We are keepers of the peace."

"I know what you're thinking and before you go getting the wrong idea, let me explain something. I don't start wars. Humans and the other alien races do that just fine by themselves. Without a sitting god of war, there would be thousands of murders every day. I channel those aggressive feelings into a more appropriate outlet. Understand? And you are warriors. Why else do you use swords? A pacifist is a true peace believer and they generally end up dead." Ares gazed at him intensely. "Now I need you to go destroy a temple for me. The Goddess Hope has already gathered followers and if she's not stopped, things will grow far worst."

"Why should we wreck her temple?" Obi-Wan asked as a funny feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. This conversation was getting worst and worst. "From what I've seen, gods and goddesses have incredible power, far more than any Jedi. What has she done to you that you want her temple destroyed? Is she the one responsible for these corpses?"

"That's her handiwork, yes." Ares scowled as he stared down at the corpses next to the river. "She builds up a cult and does bloody sacrifices to her father, Dahak. Her goal is to free him from the other dimension where's he trapped and to do that she needs lots of blood to flow."

Anakin's blue eyes took on a desperate look then. "Please say she doesn't have my daughter, Leia!"

"Hope does indeed have her." Ares confirmed with a nod of his head, his silver earring shaking. He waved his hand and a paper map appeared in the air before them. It floated over to the Jedi who accepted it. "I marked the location of her temple there. You need to break her cult up and destroy the temple. There's no guarantee she doesn't have other ones though…"

Anakin sunk to his knees at the War God's words, devastated. An evil goddess who was murdering people had his poor daughter? "But how can we fight her? She can surely do things we can't!"

"That's your problem, but you two better settle your differences or I'll fix it for you. And trust me, you won't like my solution." The dark haired god glared at them one final time and then vanished in a flash of bluish-white light.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were left alone with the corpses once again.

TBC…

Note: I always found the Dahak/Hope plotline on Herc/Xena interesting hence this storyline.


	15. Trust

Wish 15

"Anakin, how are we supposed to fight a goddess?" Obi-Wan asked as an uneasy feeling grew in his gut. He stared down at the younger man who still knelt on the sandy bank near the river. He looked devastated by the news that this Hope had his young daughter, Leia. And Obi-Wan could feel his depression and hopelessness coming through their link. It chilled his soul and he felt a tremble go through him as if it were mid-winter instead of a warm summer day with brilliant blue sky. The Jedi realized that Anakin needed him far more than he had thought as he still had the same emotional problems as ever. But still, a _goddess_! All the training in the Jedi Temple never prepared him for this.

Obi-Wan knelt down next to his former padawan and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Anakin, don't let grief and despair take you over. We'll get Leia back and fight this Hope somehow…"

Anakin lifted his head to stare at Obi-Wan, his face sagged with unhappiness and reflecting in his eyes. "How Master? She's a goddess and can do whatever she wants! You've seen the things Aphrodite can do. She can do the impossible. She can bring back people from the dead, jump from one planet to another with a thought and heal my broken body. What else can they do? What are they're fighting abilities? You yourself asked just a moment ago how we're supposed to fight her and I have no idea."

"We've infiltrated places before." Obi-Wan cautiously said as he thought for a way to bring Anakin out of his gloom. "We should tackle this as any other mission. We need to scout out the location of this temple. Ares seemed to hint that destroying her temple was key. Perhaps that will lower her powers and abilities."

The younger man sighed but rose to his feet. "You're right. I shouldn't let myself get so down and depressed. I didn't feel this way before. It's as if all of the passing years have been erased and I'm back to an emotional wreck. I don't like feeling this way, like I'm balancing on a rope and could slip off at any moment into a dark abyss."

"We've all had a great shock and our lives turned upside-down by this. Don't blame yourself for feeling confused. _I_ certainly feel confused!" Obi-Wan glanced at the bit of paper the God of War had given him to learn where the temple was. The little map showed it was out in the country near one of the mountain ranges. As he studied the image, he thought over the other's words. Did they mean Anakin had actually enjoyed being a Sith? As soon as he thought it, he felt a little bit fearful his thought had been heard. He turned his head to see if Anakin was watching him with those soul-seeing eyes of his but he was looking the other way, gazing out at the rippling river as he tried to calm himself. Relief fled through Obi-Wan then as he had been sure Anakin would have heard his thoughts due to their new deep bond but there were no signs of that. The idea that Anakin could hear his thoughts still made him highly uncomfortable. His thoughts should be his own, especially ones he had not meant to share.

"Yes, I know this is hard on you." Anakin turned then, his gloom apparently gone as he had released it into the Force. A weak smile graced his lips. "Well, let's not waste any more time here. We have a temple to destroy."

The two quickly climbed the hill and headed back to their airspeeder. As always, Anakin drove as he was greatly superior then Obi-Wan when it came to that. His reflexes were faster and he was very much the dare devil. "We should find out what their defenses are, if the temple has shields and traditional defenses. We could find out quickly from _Executor_."

Uneasiness filled Obi-Wan at the words. The last thing he wanted to do was to get involved with the Empire but that was exactly what was happening. He had hid on them for so long and every instinct in his body screamed at him to run the other way. If he wasn't careful, he may end up as badly corrupted as Anakin. He was not dumb enough to believe it couldn't happen, not since he had formed a deep bond with a maybe-Sith. If he could save Anakin he would but he felt unsure about what the future outcome would be.

"You feel uneasy, Obi-Wan." Anakin stated as he turned to regard him with clear blue eyes. "Don't you trust me?"

"I…" Obi-Wan paused, unsure how to answer the question. He _wanted_ to trust Anakin but no one had ever come back from the Dark Side before and he didn't know if it was truly possible. He fiddled with the dusty hems of his Jedi robe sleeves, the dry scent of Tatoonie filling his nose. "It's not you, Anakin, it's me. I lived as a virtual hermit all of those years out in a cave in the desert far from everything. I'm not used to being around people, not anymore and I know those ships are crowded."

The answer was true enough and he had never been all that social. Just the idea of going up onto _Executor_ was enough to make him squirm uncomfortably.

He could feel Anakin studying him with the Force, the other scanning him to see if the words were true. He allowed him to do so. Besides, the last thing he wanted was for the unstable young man to have a meltdown. With Anakin, one never knew. He was like old dynamite that could blow at any moment.

"Poor Master…" Anakin said mournfully as he gazed at him, which meant his eyes were not on his flying. But that mattered little as they flew high above farm fields that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"I'm not your master, Anakin. You seem to be still taking orders from Palpatine!" _And dragging me along for the ride_… "You know he's the Sith Master. If you truly want to free yourself from the Dark Side, you must stop obeying his orders and wishes, you must give it all up. Can you do that, Anakin, can you give up the power and authority he gave you?"

"And what would you have me do, Obi-Wan, go hide in a cave as you did while innocents are suffering?" Anakin sighed as he realized there was no easy answer to their different viewpoints. "I realize Palpatine is a Sith Master, but he is also my friend. He is doing good things for the galaxy. I know that it is hard for you to believe, but it is true. Things are not as black and white as they seem. Just because a person calls on the Unifying Force does not make them evil. Is it not true if you dig deep enough into the past that the Jedi might have been called evil just because they used the Force, because they had mysterious powers and thus they were different?"

Obi-Wan sighed. He feared Anakin was brainwashed and he had no idea how to get through to him. His words didn't seem to have any effect on the other at all. Padme was relying on him to fix the younger man, but he didn't know how. "Anakin, I fear you are a lost cause with your way of thinking…"

Anakin expertly flew the airspeeder back to Bail Organa's castle and landed it smoothly. He jumped out and turned to look at his old master. "Just trust me, Obi-Wan, that's all I ask. Come with me up to _Executor_."

Obi-Wan could see Anakin pleading with his eyes, wanting, needing him to trust him. The Jedi's eyes flickered to the Imperial Shuttle that was parked nearby, its wings folded up neatly. It was the one Palpatine had arrived in and he was still here. He could sense the Sith Master's inky blackness nearby. Nor had he forgot how the vile man had invaded his mind so easily. He still felt dirty from it, as if Palpatine had left a bit of himself behind. The encounter had been unlike anything he had ever experienced before and he hoped to never again.

Was Palpatine telling the truth? Would he really allow him to live on _Executor_ with Anakin or was it all some trick? History said that everything the Sith Master said was a lie, but he felt as if he had little choice. He wanted to help rescue Leia from Hope but he was wary of going up onto the ship. "Anakin, you're asking me to go onto a ship full of Imperials, Imperials who have been ordered to hunt down Jedi."

"I will not allow them to harm you, Obi-Wan." Anakin promised as he swiftly moved around the speeder to where the Jedi stood. He held out his hand to the other. He could grab him by the wrist as he had done earlier, but he wanted his former master to come of his own free will. "I assure you my crew obeys every word I say and none will dare touch you. There is no need for you to live in solitude any longer. We can be as we were before, a team."

Reluctantly and still unsure, Obi-Wan took the offered hand and allowed himself to be led towards the parked shuttle. As he grew closer, he suddenly recalled the number of times he had almost died while with Anakin. It had been like trouble and bad luck had followed them everywhere, things constantly going wrong.

And now here he was with Anakin again.

_I must be out of my mind! What am I thinking, walking onto an Imperial Shuttle of my own free will. I'll end up in the brig! _

He followed Anakin up the shuttle's ramp and into the spacecraft. The next moment he came face to face with Palpatine again, the evil man back in dark robes. He had apparently had a spare as Aphrodite had turned the other one a brilliant shade of pink.

"We have discovered that an evil goddess named Hope has taken my daughter, Master. She is also apparently behind the other missing people." Anakin said as he bowed his head politely to the Emperor, Obi-Wan standing uneasily at his side. After an appropriate amount of time, he raised his eyes to his elderly but powerful master. "She has a temple near the mountains. Before we invade it, we need to scan it to discover its capabilities."

"I have not foreseen this…" Palpatine replied in a troubled tone. "I do not like it, Lord Vader. It is most troubling indeed. Go and take care of the problem immediately. I will meditate on it."

The shuttle door clicked shut with the sound of doom and Obi-Wan knew any chance of escape had passed. Like it or not, he was now on the way to Anakin's ship. He felt the ship lift off, a sensation he hadn't felt in ages. All too soon they were out in space and flying smoothly towards the super star destroyer named _Executor_. It was huge, bigger than any other ship he had seen in his life. Living out in the middle of nowhere as he had, he was out of touch with things. It was beginning to click exactly how much power Anakin really possessed. If Palpatine had really built this monster of a ship just for Anakin… The ship loomed larger and larger until it completely filled the viewscreen and then they flew in the shuttle bay. The pilot landed it expertly and the door opened with a hiss, white fog hanging in the air for several minutes.

"Come, Obi-Wan." Anakin said as he moved towards the now lowered ramp, his dark brown cloak flowing behind him gracefully.

"Yes, serve us well and I will reward you." Palpatine added as he rose from his seat, his cane gripped in one hand.

"I don't want anything from you." The Jedi spat as he watched the Sith Master with distrust. Anakin may have been tricked or lured by greed, but he knew Palpatine for what he was: evil incarnate. He hated the fact that he was trapped between two Sith and it had not been of his own doing. But the air-brained Goddess of Love didn't care about Palpatine's crimes or what he had done to the Republic. As long as the evil man allowed Anakin and Padme to be together, she was satisfied.

"Come, come Master Kenobi, I'm sure that's not true!" Palpatine replied as he moved closer. "You want me dead, don't you?"

"I know what you're trying and it won't work!" Obi-Wan backed up through the doorway of the shuttle, quickly moving down the ramp. He hated being trapped like this but he recalled he had promised Padme he'd help Anakin. And he would keep that promise the best he could but being this close to the hated Emperor he hadn't bargained on. He saw Anakin waiting for him and moved to his side. As little as he liked it, Anakin would have to protect him or else he may go the way of the other Jedi: dead. His eyes flickered around the large gleaming bay, seeing the dozens of neatly dressed stormtroopers and other personnel that had come to meet the Emperor's shuttle.

"I am confident you will come to enjoy working for me, Master Kenobi. Your talents are wasted hiding out in that desert." Palpatine grinned, a horrible sight indeed that revealed yellow teeth with black pits.

At the words a burst of fear went through the Jedi. Palpatine _knew_? Could he read his mind? He frantically thought of the items he had left in his little desert hut and if they could be used to hunt down the remaining Jedi. He had been careful, yes, but still. Were stormtroopers on their way there at this moment?

"I don't care about your Jedi trinkets." Palpatine hissed in annoyance as he pointed a gnarled finger at him, his red eyes glowing. "Go and destroy this goddess. Help Lord Vader."

_By the Force, he can read my thoughts!_

Anakin grabbed him by the wrist and hauled him out of the shuttle bay. "Don't annoy him, Obi-Wan. Our Master must meditate and scan the future. It seems much has changed since Aphrodite has appeared."

"But he…!" Obi-Wan blubbered as he was pulled along backward with wide blue eyes, his gaze still locked on the smaller and smaller form of Emperor Palpatine. "He can read my mind!"

Anakin sighed. It seemed as if nothing had changed. Obi-Wan was still typical Obi-Wan, startled and surprised by unexpected things and reacting in the same fashion. He reached the lift and palmed the button to call for the car. As they waited, stormtroopers walked past as did the grey uniformed personnel. The Sith Lord watched them carefully but came to the conclusion Captain Piett must have already informed them of his new appearance. They glanced at him fearfully, tearing their eyes away quickly but with respect. Not one attempted to make a move against the Jedi that stood at his side. Anakin turned to the older man, a smile on his face. "You see, my crew means you no harm."

The Jedi snorted, hands crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall. "It's not the crew I have to worry about."

Anakin knew that Obi-Wan disliked Palpatine but bit his tongue for once. Arguing with him wouldn't get them anywhere. They were both stubborn and convinced they were correct. "Let's just focus on rescuing my daughter."

The lift arrived and they entered the empty car. Soon they emerged on the bridge. Anakin spotted Captain Piett standing at attention, his hands clasped behind his back. At once he turned to them, his Adam's apple visibly moving as he swallowed. He could sense the man's fear but Piett served him well. Unlike others before him, he was competent. "Captain Piett…"

"Yes, My Lord?" Piett asked fearfully as he approached Lord Vader and the Jedi he had with him. He recognized the traditional clothing the man wore, the tunics and robe. He had no idea what a Jedi was doing on the bridge but that was none of his business.

"Bring up this area on the scanners." Anakin handed Piett the bit of paper with the map they had received from the God of War. Then he indicated the Jedi next to him. "This is Obi-Wan Kenobi. He will be working with us for the foreseeable future."

The Jedi nodded at him politely.

"As you wish, My Lord." Piett hurried over to the section that controlled the scanners and other ship's sensors. Quickly he issued orders to the men that sat there. Within a moment the desired part of Alderaan was displayed on the screen. He turned to face Lord Vader and his guest, the Jedi. "The location you requested, My Lord."

Anakin and Obi-Wan leaned forward with interest. It was clear that an underground complex existed there within the mountain, but they so no trace of modern weapons or evidence of any force fields. It was most peculiar.

"There doesn't even appear to be a generator, unless it's turned off…" Obi-Wan remarked with surprise. "It seems as if we could just stroll right in…"

"Perhaps she doesn't _need_ modern defenses." Anakin replied as he studied the image. He noted a deep shaft within the underground complex, a high heat reading coming from it. For some reason it made him uneasy. "Captain Piett, have several squadrons of the best troops assemble for a mission."

"At once, My Lord." Piett went to make the call.

Anakin stared at the image on the screen, memorizing the layout. Where was his daughter and why did Hope take her? Was she still alive? He felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Obi-Wan.

"I'm sure she's fine." The Jedi reassured him.

The words meant a lot to Anakin but it didn't stop his worry. He wanted to wrap his fingers around Hope's neck and strangle her. How dare she take his daughter! If it was anyone else he would do just that, but Hope was a goddess. Somehow he feared that Force-choking would not be very effective at all. "I hope so, Obi-Wan, I hope so."

TBC…

Sorry this is short but I wanted to get this posted. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer.


End file.
